Complete Results (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – The third-ranked Ithaca College gymnastics team made its 2018 home debut on Sunday afternoon when it welcomed No. 6 The College at Brockport for a dual meet inside Ben Light Gymnasium. Although the Bombers improved nearly a full team point from its season opener last weekend, the Golden Eagles were able to score an early lead and maintain it throughout the afternoon, as Brockport edged the Bombers 188.375-to-186.950. The loss drops IC to 0-1 in dual meets on the young season.
 
Highlighting the day for IC were marked improvements from the squad on uneven bars and floor exercise. Ithaca boosted its team score in bars 1.250 points from last Saturday, registering a 45.850 during Sunday's home opener. The team also boosted a full point on the floor as well, registering a 47.775 after marking a 46.850 down in West Chester. Unfortunately, the boosts were not enough to catch a precise Brockport squad that opened the day with a huge score of 47.050 on bars and notched a 48.400 on floor to start the second half of the meet.
 
The Bombers had several big performances on the afternoon, but perhaps none drew louder applause than an exhibition routine by junior Rachel Lee on balance beam. Seeing her first competition action in nearly three years dating back to an All-America performance on the beam at NCGA Nationals, the IC gymnast executed a near-flawless routine that scored a 9.400 from the judges. She was mobbed by her teammates and received a standing ovation from the IC crowd upon sticking her dismount.
 
Beyond the culmination of Lee's courageous return to competition, three IC gymnasts equaled career bests and five Bomber rookies set new career highs on the day.
 
For the returners, senior Danielle Maffuid tied a career high with a team-best 9.525 score on bars, which was second-best at the meet. Sophomore Paige Landes also posted a second-place finish, executing a spectacular balance beam routine that tied her career best with a 9.650. Senior Melissa Hollrigl also continued her strong run of floor exercise routines, posting a 9.550 for the second consecutive competition after setting the new career high at last week's West Chester Quad Meet.
 
The first-year Bombers also had a big day during the second half of the meet. Freshman Katie Holcomb marked a third-place finish on the balance beam with a career-best 9.550. Sophomore Cassidy Marquette and freshman Alexis Griffin both tied for fifth-place with scores of 9.650. Freshman Courtney Christoforo added a career-best 9.225 score on vault, while fellow rookie Savannah Gigandet posted a 9.000 on bars.
 
Ithaca had one individual event winner on the afternoon, as junior Carolyn Nichols posted an excellent performance in her top event. Closing out IC's first rotation on vault, she scored a 9.525 which tied Brockport's Stephanie Mager for the best score on the day in the event.
 
Opening the day on vault, Ithaca posted steady scores, but were just a little off form from posting the big scores that could have bridged the gap. All six gymnasts in IC's vault lineup carded scores of 9.225 or better. Behind Nichols, sophomore Baylie Trammell posted a fifth-place score of 9.425. Junior Victoria Gery scored a 9.250 to come in seventh-place, while freshman Courtney Christoforo, Hollrigl, and senior Kaylee Pacunas each tied for eighth with 9.225 scores. Landes marked an 8.500 in an exhibition vault.
 
While IC posted a solid vault rotation, Brockport got off to a flying start with a huge performance on bars. The Golden Eagles racked up a monster team score of 47.050 on the toughest rotation, as five entrants posted scores of 9.250-or-better.
 
Although IC was not able to match Brockport's monster score when it took on the bars in the second rotation, the team did show significant improvement from its season opener last weekend. Maffuid led the way with her second-place 9.525, while four other lineup entrants were able to score 9.000-or-better. Junior Haley Lyons posted IC's second-best score, a 9.200 that was good for seventh-place. Trammell was unable to convert her huge release skill during the early part of her routine, but was able to salvage her performance with a strong finish to post a 9.125. Senior Kendra Balcerak and freshman Savannah Gigandet carded 9.000 routines to tie for ninth.
 
At the midway point, Ithaca trailed Brockport 93.975-to-92.500. However, another monster rotation in the third transition put the Golden Eagles in the driver's seat.
 
While the Golden Eagles locked in a 48.400 on floor, IC had several strong performances on the beam. Landes and Holcomb's career-best routines finished second and third, respectively, while Balcerak also checked-in a Top-5 performance with a 9.375. Senior Hannah Donnelly and sophomore Emily Szembrot rounded out IC's scoring group, as Donnelly came in seventh with a 9.100 and Szembrot posted a 9.000 that tied for eighth. Junior Nina Bustamente also saw her first competition of the year, posting an 8.975 that was good for 10^th. Lyons joined Lee with excellent exhibition performances, as the junior duo scored a 9.375 and 9.400, respectively.
 
The Bombers top rotation in terms of score came in floor exercise, as IC's scoring five posted a season-best 47.775. Nichols led the way with a 9.675 that tied for third. Marquette and Griffin tied for fifth with 9.650 scores. Hollrigl finished in ninth with a 9.550, while Trammell and Gery carded scores of 9.250 and 9.200, respectively. Freshman Lauren Hansen marked an exhibition score of 9.000, while Donnelly closed out the meet with an 8.950 exhibition appearance.
 
Ithaca returns to action next weekend when it heads back to Philadelphia, Pa., for the Temple University Quad Meet on Sunday, January 28. Action is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.