ITHACA, N.Y. – Competing against three NCGA East opponents, the Ursinus Gymnastics team turned in their best overall performance of the season at Ithaca's Harriet Marranca Memorial Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears finished third overall among the four teams competing with a season-high overall score of 188.725. It was the highest team point total for the Bears since recording a 188.950 at Springfield on February 9th, 2020. Brockport won the meet with their total score of 193.250 and the host Bombers came in second with a 192.250. Rhode Island College rounded out the teams with a score of 187.500.
Ursinus topped two previous season bests of the four exercises and eclipsed the 47-point mark in three of the four events. The Bears established new season standards on the balance beam (47.250) and the uneven bars (46.850) while recording solid totals on the floor (47.550) plus the vault (47.075).
The Bears began on the floor and continued to showcase their team strength on the event during the 2023 season. First-Year
Sidney Schreiber paced Ursinus once again with a score of 9.750 to tie for third overall. Schreiber has recorded at least a 9.550 on the floor exercise in five of the six meets this season. Senior
Alyssa DeLorme started an impressive day by recording a 9.6 to finish second among the Bears and sophomore
Megan Matteucci tallied a 9.525 that continued her midseason renaissance in the event. Sophomore
Isabella Scarpetti tallied a 9.375 on the afternoon and was followed by senior
Taylor Cusick with a 9.300 plus senior
Kasey Ricci on a 9.175.
Ursinus built on its strong start by taking on the vault next and senior
Alex Panetta led the way with a team-high score of 9.500. Junior
Ashley Cromer finished second among the Bears with a 9.475 and Schreiber totaled just behind with a 9.425. Cusick registered a 9.350 on the vault while DeLorme and Scarpetti earned scores of 9.325 and 9.250, respectively.
The Bears put on its best showing of the season on the bars to date which was led by DeLorme's season best tally of 9.675 that placed her fourth overall. Panetta followed in fifth overall with a 9.600 that made it three-straight performances on the bars with at least a 9.525. Sophomore
Adison Tanguay edged her previous career best for the event with a 9.350 and Matteucci recorded a 9.125.
DeLorme capped her big day by wrapping up the All-Around score title with a 9.725 on the beam that was nearly .200 higher than the previous individual best by any Bear this season. Cromer was equally as impressive on the beam by registering a career best score of 9.700 that blitzed her previous best of 9.475. Senior
Lindsey Thornton matched her career best total of 9.550 to finish third among the Bears on the beam while Ricci tallied a 9.225.
In her first time competing for an all-around score this season, DeLorme took a run at her career best total by totaling a 38.325 to best three other gymnasts.
The Bears return to action on Friday, February 24th as they will compete at George Washington's Quad Meet that will also feature Bowling Green, Western Michigan, and Fisk starting at 7:00 p.m.
