COLLEGE PARK, Md. – No. 22 Penn State women’s gymnastics (8-2, 3-1 Big Ten) tallied a 195.550 team score as it toppled Maryland (195.225) on the road in the XFINITY Center on Friday night.
The Nittany Lions put together a consistent performance through all four rotations on the road to earn their third-straight Big Ten dual meet victory. A strong start on bars put Penn State ahead early and it carried the momentum of its five 9.8-plus bars tallies all the way through to win the meet.
Freshman Elizabeth Leary earned her first all-around win of her career, scoring a 39.050 to claim the title. 9.85 totals on vault, beam, and floor led Penn State as Maryland native Maddie Johnston earned those scores on vault and beam, while Kalea McElligott posted hers on floor.
ROTATION RECAP
In traditional road dual format, Penn State began its night on bars where it scored a 49.025, the only 49-plus team score from either squad for the rest of the meet. Five Penn State gymnasts scored 9.8-or-better, led by a 9.825 from Gabbie Gallentine. Johnston, McElligott, Leary, and Dani Latronica all earned 9.8 scores while Cassi Barbanente recorded a 9.725.
On vault in rotation two, an event-winning 9.85 from Johnston propelled the Nittany Lions to a 48.850 team total. Leary tallied a 9.775 while Elina Vihrova and McElligott posted 9.75 scores.
The Nittany Lion floor team scored a 48.925 on the apparatus, once again led by a 9.85 score, this time from event-winner McElligott. Freshman Allison Kaempfer earned a career-best 9.8, Leary scored a 9.775, and Ashley Maul and Vihrova posted 9.75s.
In the last rotation of the night, a strong finish capped off the win for Penn State. Latronica’s 9.8 and Johnston’s 9.85 in the final two routines of the evening put Penn State on top to earn its third-straight Big Ten dual meet victory. Freshman Ellie Monahan scored a 9.75 as the Nittany Lions recorded a 48.750 on the apparatus.
Leary completed her fourth all-around of the season, winning the combined event score with a 39.050.
WHAT'S NEXT
Penn State continues its road trip with a late-night tilt at No. 6 UCLA next Friday, Feb. 14 in Pauley Pavilion. The Nittany Lions will take on the Bruins at 11 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network in their first nationally-televised meet of the season.
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