DURHAM, N.H.- The Yale women's gymnastics team opened its 2015 season Sunday in familiar territory at the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats have been on the schedule for multiple seasons and the Bulldogs enter 2015 hungry for strong performances.
With a team score of 191.175, the meet was the most successful season opener in history for the Bulldogs. With three of four freshmen out with injuries, upperclassmen carried the way. Senior Joyce Li came out on top for the Bulldogs in the all-around finishing 2nd (38.350). Captain Morgan Traina (37.625) and freshman Anna Merkuryev (36.725) followed, finishing 4th and 5th respectively.
On vault, Morgan Traina tied her career-high score of 9.675 to earn a tie for 5th place with junior Camilla Opperman. Li and Katherine Lucas both earned a score of 9.600, enough to tie for 8th place. Lucas topped her previous career-best on vault with the score. The rotation wrapped up with senior Brianna Chrisman and Merkuryev, scoring 9.575 and 9.075.
The Bulldogs rotated to the bars where they continued to deliver solid routines. Traina led the way with a score of 9.750 (4th). Fellow senior Li was close behind, scoring 9.650. Sophomores Anella Anderson and Tatiana Winkelman tied their career-best marks of 9.525 and 9.500, finishing 8th and 9th. Merkuryev and Chrisman also competed on the uneven bars, earning marks of 9.075 and 8.475.
Balance Beam was the highest-scoring event of the meet for the Bulldogs (48.250). Brittney Sooksengdao made her first appearance of the meet on beam, leading the rotation with a score of 9.775. She tied for 3rd place on the event with Traina. Merkuryev had a strong debut on the beam, earning a 9.650. Li finished 10th on the apparatus (9.550) followed by Winkelman, whose tie of a career-high (9.500) earned her 11th place. Anderson wrapped up the roster on the beam with a score of 9.100.
On floor exercise, Opperman finished 4th (9.750). Sooksengdao's score of 9.625 was close to a career-high and good enough for a 7th-place finish. Li and Lucas finished 8th and 9th with scores of 9.550 and 9.450, respectively. Merkuryev (8.925) and Traina (8.425) rounded out the rotation.
The Bulldogs hope to continue their successes as they travel to Penn on January 25 to face off against the Ivy Classic rival.
Report filed by Rachel Wofford '17, Yale Sports Publicity
