West Chester vs Alaska-Anchorage
Meet Details: Friday, March 7 I 7 P.M.
Location: Sturzebecker HSC Gym 6 (West Chester, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Results I Video
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE
Alaska Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE
Last Time Out
West Chester will look to build off a third-place finish at a tri-meet at Ursinus on February 23 as the Golden Rams are well rested to begin the final month of the season. At Ursinus, West Chester scored a 190.175 to top the host Bears, who scored a 189.575, while falling to Gymnastics East Conference (GEC) foes Bridgeport (192.050) and William & Mary (192.075). West Chester started its day on beam (48.450) led by a season-best 9.825 from Lily McFarland (Baltimore, Md.), which was good enough to win the beam competition. West Chester swept the top three spots in this as Natalie Marshall (Bolton, Ma.) posted a 9.8 to take second, while Caroline Cascadden (Ashburn, Va.) was third with a 9.775. On floor (47.825) McFarland led West Chester again with a 9.700 to take fourth, while Macarthy Keane (Trumbull, Ct.) led West Chester on vault (47.925) with a 9.625. Holding a slim lead for first place heading into the final rotation, West Chester scored a 45.875 on bars, led by a 9.575 from Melina Ringas (Glen Allen, Va.), which was good enough for her to finish third individually.
Final Push
West Chester is down to its final three meets of the regular season before the Gymnastics East Championships head to Philadelphia on Saturday, March 22. The first session of the Championships, which will include teams in fifth through eighth place in the GEC will compete at 12 p.m. while the evening session will begin at 6 p.m. with teams ranked first through fourth competing in this session.
Home Sweet Home
Friday night’s meet is the first of two of three in Sturzebecker to close out the regular season. West Chester will head to Towson on Sunday for its final road trip of the season as the Golden Rams compete against the Tigers and Alaska-Anchorage for the second time this season beginning at 1 p.m. After this, West Chester will return home for its regular-season finale vs Cornell on Friday the 14th at 11 a.m. ahead of the Gymnastics East Championships in Philadelphia on March 22.
Happening Tonight
Friday night’s meet is both Senior Night and the Golden Rams Mental Health Awareness Meet as the team continues its longstanding support The Hidden Opponent.
Scouting Alaska-Anchorage
Alaska-Anchorage heads East this week after back-to-back setbacks at home against Sacramento State on February 21 and 23 (L 195.150-193.325 & L 194.575-193.300). Friday night’s meet in West Chester will be Alaska-Anchorage’s first visit to South Campus and will be the first of two meets on the East Coast for the Seawolves this weekend as they will join West Chester in Maryland for a Sunday afternoon meet with Towson. On Sunday against Sacramento State, Alaska got a pair of event victories and posted a historic team total of 193.300, which was 12th-best in program history. Montana Fairbairn won the floor with a 9.9, which tied the fifth-best mark by a Seawolf in 40 years, as UAA posted a 49.025 on the floor, which was its second-highest total in team history. Claudia Lessig scored a 9.8 to finish atop the beam podium before scoring a 9.725 on bars, which was second best on the squad. Madelyn Gomez led the team on bars with a 9.75 to finish in a tie for third. UAA topped the 48-point plateau on vault for the fifth straight meet with a 48.275, as Fairbairn led the way with a 9.725 along with a career-high 9.7 from Hannah Boyd, who had also scored a 9.8 on floor earlier in the meet.
