COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – A stellar performance on the floor exercise spurred the Ursinus College gymnastics team to another impressive score and its first dual-meet victory of the season, a 189.675-185.975 result against visiting Cortland State.
The Bears, the top-ranked team in Division III, just missed out on a third consecutive total of 190 or more, but still put together a terrific outing behind their second-best floor score of the year.
Junior Alexandra Puryear compiled a 38.125 as the lone all-arounder for the day, including a first-place effort on the floor and three other top-six performances.
Juniors Heather Brubaker and Puryear were the floor phenoms for Ursinus, tying for first place with matching counts of 9.700. Brubaker's score was the best of her career for the event, while Puryear only added to her team-leading average of 9.6125 coming into the day. Puryear earned a 9.80 from one judge, the best single score of the meet.
Classmate Kelsey Stewart tied for third and equaled her season best with a 9.600, while freshman Eleanor LaFountain's 9.525 was good for fifth. Freshman Skylar Haas scored a 9.450 in the first floor routine of her career.
Ursinus was once again impressive on the beam, registering a 47.450. Haas led the way with a 9.675, tying her with Cortland's Bailey Gildemeyer for first place with junior Amanda Palladino right behind at 9.650; Haas got a 9.75 from one judge on the event. Senior Jillian Casarella earned a 9.600 to extend her season-long streak of scoring at least that high on the beam and place fourth overall. Puryear was awarded a 9.525 to finish sixth.
Freshman Courtney Pearson was a standout on the vault, tallying a 9.525 to place second behind the Red Dragons' Rachel Filipski (9.625). Puryear and Brubaker tied for fourth place with a 9.450, and Stewart collected a 9.425.
Junior Kaelin Ruoss scored a 9.375, her best of the season, and LaFountain matched her collegiate high at 9.350.
Senior Lauren Chavis was the top performer on the bars, edging Casarella's 9.575 with a 9.625 that stands as her best of the year. Puryear notched a season best (9.450) to place fourth, giving her three top-four finishes for the afternoon. Stewart equaled a season high at 9.350.
The gymnastics team continues its season at Ithaca on Sunday, February 26.
