UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7 Penn State men's gymnastics team posted a season high score in their 407.500-399.300 win against No. 6 Ohio State, their first head-to-head victory against the Buckeyes since 2020, on Saturday evening in Rec Hall.
The Nittany Lions earned season best team scores on pommel horse (66.800) and parallel bars (70.200).
"We talked a lot about mindset and execution this week," said head coach Randy Jepson. "This meet bore that out. The guys focused and came in and had a 90% hit ratio and had six or seven stuck landings. That's the kind of performance we are looking for."
Penn State swept the top-four scores on pommel horse to take the event. Ethan Dick earned his first career pommel horse event win, scoring with season high of 13.150. Josh Karnes took second with a season high score of 13.600. Landon Simpson finished third (13.450) and Derek Schlangenhauf took fourth (13.150).
On parallel bars, Ian Raubal took first place with a career high score of 14.550 with a stick bonus and Josh Karnes placed second with a score of 14.450.
Michael Jaroh earned first on vault with a season high score of 14.500, placed third on parallel bars tying his career high score of 14.200 and took third with a season high score of 13.900 on rings.
Michael Artlip finished second on floor with a score of 13.800. Akslei Karsikas competed on the event for the first time in his career to place third with a score of 13.700.
The Nittany Lions stuck three out of five routines on high bar with Artlip (13.200), Karsikas (12.500) and Karnes (13.800) earning the bonus.
Men's gymnastics remains undefeated at home after posting victories against the Buckeyes today and against the Black Knights of Army in January. The team will return home against Springfield Saturday, March 2.
Michael Artlip, Matt Cormier and Josh Karnes will travel to Louisville, Ky. to compete in the Winter Cup from Feb. 23-25.