West Chester University Women’s gymnastics team proved nothing could stop them from achieving their goals in their competition against Ursinus College. The meet was originally scheduled to be inside Sturzebecker HSC, but was moved to Ursinus College due to Sturzebecker HSC being used as a shelter and warming station by the Red Cross to help those without power from the ice storm that covered Southeastern Pennsylvania. Even though it was the Alumni meet, many still came to sport the women’s gymnastics squad.
For the first time in school history, the Lady Rams reached a team score over the 190 mark. The Rams’ 190.575 took the home victory over host Ursinus College’s 184.525.
“There was a lot of alumni at the meet,” Cordova said. “It was supposed to be the alumni day, and having them be there while we broke our record was really exciting, and they were all excited for us, it was really a fun day.”
The overall team score was only one of three records broken on Saturday February 8, 2014. Freshman Majesta Valentine from Wilmington, Delaware broke the school record in the all-around competition with a 38.525. She led the Rams on the floor exercise with a 9.8. Valentine’s 9.725 performance on the balance beam placed her in second position.
Also, WCU’s bar line-up set a new school record with a 47.750. The Golden Rams also managed to sweep the top five spots on the event. Sophomore Meghan Brannon from Seminole, Florida led the team with a 9.775 placing first in the standings. Senior teammate Emily Seigel was runner-up with a 9.7. Behind Seigel, teammate Alyssa Hult swung to a strong 9.6 performance. West Chester’s Melissa Prisco took fourth with her 9.35 and Valentine was fifth.
The Women’s Gymnastics Team also had a great performance on the balance beam. Behind Valentine in the standings, Seigel placed fifth with a 9.525 and teammates Cecelia Lorenzen and Lindsay Knapp tied for sixth with a 9.50.
On the floor exercise, WCU finished within tenths of their school record scoring a 48.275. As previously mentioned, Valentine won the event for the Rams with an outstanding 9.80 performance. Senior teammate Stephanie Plaugher was runner up scoring a 9.75, Seigel scored a 9.625, and freshman Kristin Torres from Paradise, PA tied for fourth with teammate Hult both with a score of 9.55.
The next meet for the Golden Rams is on Sunday February 16 at the University of Pennsylvania where they will compete against Division One Rutgers and Pennsylvania.
Lauren Bilenki is a third-year student majoring in accounting and finance. She can be reached at LB759145@wcupa.edu