Complete Results (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – The ninth-ranked Ithaca College gymnastics team made its home debut at Ben Light Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon when it welcomed Brockport and Rhode Island College for a tri-meet. The Bombers posted their second consecutive second-place finish to begin the year, improving 1.750 points over its season-debut score with a 184.950.
 
"I'm really proud of how the team performed this afternoon," head coach Rick Suddaby said. "We really did a good job of carrying over our hard work during the week and making improvements from the opening weekend. We still have not nailed the full all-around performance we know we are capable of, but it's good to see us continue to trend in a positive direction."
 
For the second straight week, Brockport was able to narrowly edge Ithaca to take first place. Like last weekend's quad-meet at Rhode Island College, the Golden Eagles again topped the field, finishing with a score of 188.225. The Anchorwomen came in third, scoring a cumulative total of 176.775.
 
Although Ithaca finished runner-up to Brockport, it was a highly encouraging afternoon for the Bombers. The team posted substantial improvement from its opening meet in three out of four events. IC added 0.625 to its cumulative vault score, 1.125 to its uneven bars score, and an impressive 1.200 on its floor exercise mark. Interestingly enough, Ithaca's lone struggles came on the balance beam, which is universally regarded as the team's greatest strength. A return to usual form in that event in the meets to come should bode very well for Ithaca moving forward.
 
Freshman Baylie Trammell continued the excellent start to her collegiate career with another strong showing in her two events this afternoon. She finished in a three-way tie for first place in the uneven bars, scoring a career best and season high for Ithaca with a 9.500. She also added a tie for eighth place showing in the vault with a 9.250.
 
Carolyn Nichols also had an excellent afternoon for the Bombers. The sophomore fell just short of her career high on vault, posting a score of 9.450 to finish in a three-way tie for third place in the event. The Hudson, N.H., native also had a big bounce-back performance on floor exercise. She improved 0.650 on her score from the opening weekend, posting a career-best 9.575 to come in a tie for second place.
 
Emily Szembrot added a couple excellent performances in her second collegiate meet. The freshman marked a fourth-place finish on the beam with a 9.575, surpassing her score from the RIC meet by a substantial 0.675. She also posted a career-high 9.425 in a two-way tie for sixth in floor exercise.
 
Ithaca was exceptionally strong in the vault, as all six of its entrants scored 9.225-or-higher. Tying Nichols for third place was junior Kaylee Pacunas with a 9.450. Classmate Melissa Hollrigl marked a 9.275 to finish seventh, while sophomore Maggie Verrette and Trammell tied for eighth with scores of 9.250. Second-year Victoria Gery rounded out the team's entrants with a 9.225.
 
The Bombers top event finish came in the uneven bars; the home side topped the field with a team score of 46.050. Junior Danielle Maffuid set a new career high with a 9.475 to finish fourth, while fellow third-year Mina Shernan marked a 9.250 to come in fifth. Sophomore Haley Lyons came in ninth with an 8.950, freshman Elyse Ryden made her collegiate debut with an 8.875 to come in 10^th, while junior Kendra Balcerak marked an 11^th-place effort with an 8.775.
 
Ithaca had two other entrants post Top-10 finishes in the balance beam in addition to the strong performance by Szembrot. Sophomore Nina Bustamante carded another excellent routine in posting a 9.300 to finish in a tie for fifth place. Balcerak also bested the 9.000-barrier with a 9.175 to come in eighth.
 
Two new personal bests were also set on the floor, as Gery and sophomore Amy Thomas each notched new highs in marking identical 9.400 scores to finish in a tie for eighth.
 
Ithaca returns to action in two weeks when it travels to Brockport, N.Y., for a dual-meet matchup against the Golden Eagles. Action is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 4.