New School Record on Beam Propels West Chester to Sweep of Tri Meet on Senior Day

MEET RESULTS

WEST CHESTER, PA – West Chester University broke its school record on the balance beam to come from behind in the last rotation and squeeze out a close win over William & Mary in a tri-meet inside Sturzebecker Health Science Center that also included Centenary College (La.) Friday night.
 
All five scores that West Chester counted on the beam were career highs as the Golden Rams pulled within one-tenth of a point of William & Mary heading into the final rotation. The hosts amassed a team total of 48.775 on the floor – two-tenth of a point better than what The Tribe did on the uneven bars -  which was enough to overtake William & Mary and earn a win over its Gymnastics East Conference (GEC) foes.
 
William & Mary fell just one-tenth of a point shy of West Chester, despite putting up its highest score of the season with a 194.275. Incidentally, the Golden Rams' 194.375, which was enough to win the meet, is the fourth-best score in school history. Centenary was third with a 188.075.
 
Nine Golden Rams either equaled, or beat, their personal bests on Friday. Senior Caroline Cascadden (Ashburn, Va.) set a new personal high in winning the balance beam with a 9.9. Fellow senior Lily McFarland (Baltimore, Md.) was second on the beam, tying her career high, with a 9.875, while classmate Madison Whitaker (Lancaster, Pa.) tied for third with a career-best 9.825. Sarah Eskew (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was fifth with a career high 9.8 while Macarthy Keane (Trumbull, Conn.) tied for sixth with a 9.75 her first time in the scoring lineup.
 
Eskew also hit a career high on the vault with a 9.8 that was good enough for first place in that event. Hannah Shelton (Nokesville, Va.) scored a career high on the vault as well.
 
Junior Kristina Rodriguez (Cincinnati, Ohio) tied for second on the floor exercise with a career effort and a 9.8. Freshman Corinne Gruber (Barto, Pa.) scored a 9.75 on the floor to post a new career best.
 
On the uneven bars, junior Jordan Coleman (Bowie, Md.) took first place with a 9.75. Sophomore Melina Ringas (Glen Allen, Va.) tied for third with a 9.725.
 
Not much rest for the Golden Rams, who will travel to Temple on Sunday for a quad meet where they will battle William & Mary once again while also competing with host Temple and Long Island University. That meet is set for a 2:30 p.m. start.