WEST CHESTER, Pa. – West Chester University set a new overall meet record, and broke two individual event marks, en route to a season-opening, 188.20-186.00, upset over ECAC rival Southern Connecticut State University Friday evening inside Sturzebecker HSC.
The Golden Rams set new school marks on the balance beam and the vault while establishing a new school record for its overall score of 188.20 – which topped the team’s 186.05 at last year’s conference meet. It would seem West Chester’s tumblers have picked up right where they left off in 2011, and there did not seem to be any bad luck on Friday the 13th.
“The team performed pretty well tonight,” WCU head coach Barbara Cordova said. “I think somebody told me it had been close to 18 years since we have beaten Southern. I don’t know if that is true, but it has certainly been a long time.”
West Chester scored a 47.80 on the vault to set a new standard in that event. Local talent, Stephanie Schuler won the apparatus with a score of 9.7. Fellow freshman Lauren Bilenki was third with a 9.6 in her first college meet.
On the beam, the Rams turned in a score of 47.35 to establish a new plateau for the gymnasts. Southern Connecticut State’s Mallory Miller won the event with a 9.7. However, West Chester took the next two spots with Kaley LaFleur scoring a 9.675 and Schuler a 9.65.
Other individual winners for West Chester included Emily Siegel, who captured first place in the uneven bars with a score of 9.575, and Schuler placed third with a 9.475. Rachel Pearson placed second overall in the floor exercise, leading West Chester with a 9.600. SCSU’s Rebecca Brady won the event with a 9.75.
The Golden Rams will be back in action on Sunday, Jan. 15 when they travel to Ursinus College for a quad match with the host Bears, Wilson College and Towson University.
