Florida Gators
Penn State Quad
No. 8 Gator Gymnastics Team Wins PSU Quad Meet
Saturday, March 15, 2003 | Gymnastics
The No. 8 University of Florida gymnastics team (18-3, 5-1 SEC) battled back from an early deficit to win the Penn State quadrangular meet Friday evening in front of a Rec Hall crowd of 1,910. The Gators turned in a 196.725, while No. 23 Penn State was runner-up at 195.50. Temple was third at 190.80, followed by Yale at 189.025.
"I told the team that this was the proudest of them that I have been at any other point of the season. We have had different lineups and battled through injuries, but the way they came through tonight was wonderful. It was unfortunate that our first competitor fell on both bars and beam. But instead of tightening up, this team responded with more energy and more passion with the following routines. It was exciting to see them perform in that manner," UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn said. "Erinn Dooley had the meet of her life tonight and I was so happy that she was able to do it in front of her family."
Florida trailed the Nittany Lions after the opening rotation, as PSU turned in a 49.35 on the vault, while UF tallied a 49.225 on the uneven bars. Kristen Stucky led Florida on the event for the second time this season, earning a 9.925 to share first with PSU's Katie McAvoy. Florida also received marks of 9.875 from Erin Pendleton and a 9.85 from Lindsey Miner. Pendleton took third overall in the final bars standings.
The PSU lead narrowed to .070 after the second rotation. The Gators posted a 49.30 on the balance beam, while the Nittany Lions tallied a 49.25 on the uneven bars. Like the previous rotation, the final five Gators hit their routines after the first competitor recorded a fall. For the first time this season, sophomore Erinn Dooley turned in the Gators' top balance beam mark, matching her collegiate-best with a 9.925 to take second overall. It was the fifth time this season that Dooley turned in a mark of 9.90 or better on beam. The Gators also received a 9.90 from senior Jenny Carow, which tied her for third with PSU's Leslie Bair.
Florida used a 49.05 on floor exercise to move into the team lead by .85 after the Nittany Lions struggled on the balance beam (48.125) with three competitors recording a total of four falls. The final three Gator floor performers posted marks of 9.825 or better Friday evening – Orley Szmuch (9.875), Miner (9.85) and Dooley (9.825). Szmuch was second in the final floor standings, while Miner took third.
On their final event, Florida posted its third-highest total of the season of 49.15, led by Dooley's collegiate- and Gator-season best mark of 9.95. The mark gave Dooley her first event title of the season. Szmuch also matched her season-best vault mark of 9.90 Friday.
"It was our last event and we wanted to finish strong," Dooley said. "I was very relaxed before the vault and I just hit it."
Dooley had a cheering contingent of 10 family members in the crowd Friday evening to see her turn in three collegiate-best marks (vault/9.95; beam/9.925; all-around/39.50). The group will also follow her to West Virginia for Sunday's quadrangular meet.
PSU's Katie Rowland won the evening's all-around title at 39.775. She also won the balance beam (10.0) and floor exercise (9.975) titles. Dooley was runner-up in the all-around with her collegiate-best all-around total of 39.50 while Szmuch was third at 39.425.
The Gators finish their Spring Break road trip on Sunday, March 16 when they compete in a quadrangular meet in Morgantown, W.Va. Other teams competing in Sunday's meet include West Virginia, Cornell and New Hampshire. Meet time is set for 2:00 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
Team Totals
| Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | rank | Total | ||
| Florida | 49.150 | 49.225 | 49.300 | 49.05 | 1 | 196.725 | |
| Penn State | 49.350 | 49.250 | 48.025 | 48.875 | 2 | 195.500 | |
| Temple | 47.875 | 48.025 | 47.225 | 47.675 | 3 | 190.800 | |
| Yale | 47.775 | 46.325 | 4.575 | 48.350 | 4 | 189.025 | |
