COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Yale gymnastics team traveled to Maryland Sunday to face some tough competition, including No. 29 Maryland. Yale held its own, breaking a 194 among fierce competitors that included the host team, Penn, Temple and William and Mary. The Bulldogs had a consistent meet, resulting in a second-place score of 194.375. The Terps took first earning a 196.975 at their home arena on senior day, while Temple posted a third-place score of 194.100. William and Mary took fourth place with a 193.900 team score, while Penn took fifth with a 193.275. As a team, this is Yale's season-high score.
 
"I'm proud of way we performed today. After falling short last week, I thought this group dealt with the adversity really well and showed how resilient we are," said assistant coach Andy Leis. "Today was a total team effort against a bunch of really good teams. We look forward to getting back into the gym this week and getting ready for GW and Rutgers over the next two weekends."
 
TEAM STANDINGS

1. Maryland - 196.975
2. Yale - 194.375
3. temple - 194.100
4. William & Mary – 193.900
5. UPenn – 193.275

First year Aimee Titche led off the meet with a strong hit routine, while junior Alyssa Firth posted a career-high 9.550 stuck routine to add to lineup. Sophomore Lindsay Chia also scored above a 9.500 to earn a 9.600 on her first of two events of the day. First year Raegan Walker fell on her high-to-low release, but finished strong with a gorgeous double-layout dismount. Junior Jacey Baldovino was the highest scorer on bars for the Bulldogs, sticking her dismount and posting a 9.850 finish. This was her third 9.825 or higher this season. Anchoring the lineup, first year Caitlin Henry delivered with a 9.650. The bar team totaled a 48.000 for the first event.
 
Junior lead-off Charlotte Cooperman started out beam strong with a hit 9.725 routine. Chia did not disappoint and also put up another hit routine for the Bulldogs to post a 9.700. First year Riley Meeks made her debut on beam and added a hit routine (9.425) to the lineup to keep the momentum going. Baldovino followed with a stuck routine to earn a 9.725. Senior Emma Firmstone posted a massive 9.850 score to earn first place. This score marked the fourth time the senior has scored a 9.825 or higher this season on the event. The 9.850 also places Firmstone as the fourth-highest beam scorer in Yale history. Senior anchor Carly Israel rounded out the rotation, adding her 9.725 to the 48.725 team score. Her score is a season- and career–high. Yale placed second on this event.
 
Lead-off Baldovino, Chong, Firth and Firmstone all posted huge 9.800 scores for floor exercise to tie for fourth-place overall. This is Firth's third 9.800 or higher this season and it is Baldovino's second. Firmstone earned a floor season-high with hit tumbling passes and a beautiful stuck last front 1 ½ twisting pass. Cooperman added consistency and difficult tumbling to the rotation to earn a 9.725. Senior Sofia Menemenlis had a wobble on her first pass, but came back with an incredibly strong finish for her last two stuck passes to anchor floor lineup. Yale floor posted a team score of 48.925 to take second place on the event.
 
The Bulldogs ended the day on vault. Lead-off senior Anna Jennings competed a yurchenko tuck full for a score of 9.425. Junior Rowan Palmer earned a career-high score of 9.600 with a yurchenko layout, while Cooperman tallied a huge career-high score of 9.800 with a beautiful yurchenko layout full. Chong followed Cooperman with a 9.675 yurchenko-half and Titche tied for fifth place overall with an outstanding yurchenko layout full. Cooperman and Titche posted the fourth-highest scores in Yale vault history. Firth came in third place with an enormous season- and career-high of 9.850 to stand on podium. Her high-flying yurchenko-full was a great anchor to Yale's vault lineup and also marks the second-highest vault score in Yale Gymnastics history. Additionally, Sunday was her fourth time scoring a 9.800 or higher on this event. The vault line-up finished with a season-high score of 48.725. This team vault score places third-highest in school history.
 
The Bulldogs are back in action next Sunday, Mar. 8 taking on Maryland, Towson, William and Mary and the host team at GW. The meet begins at 1 p.m.
 
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