Results (PDF)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Ithaca College gymnastics team got its anticipated 2019 season underway on Sunday afternoon when it hit the road to face Rhode Island College in a dual meet, which also served as the Anchorwomen's Senior Day. The Bombers got off to a strong start to the year, moving to 1-0 on the young season with a convincing 187.000-to-176.275 victory.
 
Sunday's performance was an encouraging one for IC. Although the team certainly was not quite in midseason form quite yet, the Bombers received some strong performances across the board on the day. Ithaca really controlled the meet from start-to-finish, scoring higher than the meet hosts in all four rotations. Ithaca gymnasts also took home the top score of the day in each of the four rotations, easily outdistancing RIC in the overall team scores. In fact, Ithaca's 187.000 score is the highest that the program has posted in a season opening meet in at least the past 16 seasons of competition.
 
Ithaca had a couple newcomers to the lineup in the vault, as first-year Julia O'Sullivan and junior Cassidy Marquette saw their first action in an IC leo in the event. Additionally, sophomores Marin Sheridan and Courtney Christoforo also got into the lineup for the first time since the early part of last year. The group, joined by junior Baylie Trammell and senior Carolyn Nichols, performed well as a whole, posting five of the Top-6 individual scores on the day and all six of the team's lineup entrants finishing within the Top-10 on the day.
 
Leading the group was Marquette who starred in her first competition action in the event. She took the top spot with a 9.600 score. Nichols and Trammell finished in second and third, respectively, posting scores of 9.525 and 9.475. Sheridan also had a memorable day, setting a new personal best in the event with a 9.450 in a fourth-place effort. O'Sullivan had a solid dismount in her first collegiate action, registering a 9.225 to come in sixth. Christoforo rounded out the group with a 9.050 to come in ninth.
 
The Bombers continued to gain separation in the uneven bars rotation. Ithaca used Sunday's meet to introduce several new gymnasts to this event as well. O'Sullivan continued her busy opening day to collegiate competition, while sophomore Katie Holcomb appeared in the bars lineup for the first time in her collegiate career. Additionally, senior Rachel Lee also made her return to the uneven bars, marking the first time since her debut season in 2015 that she has seen competition in the event. While the group did not hit on all of the routines, five of the six IC gymnasts posted 9.025-or-better in the event, snagging the Top-5 positions in the final results, overall.
 
Christoforo paced the way for Ithaca in the uneven bars, easily taking the first-place spot in the rotation on the day. Competing in her primary event, she picked up right where she left off last season, hitting on her routine to score a 9.500. Upperclassmen, Trammell and Lee, tied for the second spot in the standings, each scoring a 9.100 in the event. Sophomore Lauren Hansen also posted a solid routine with a 9.075 to come in a fourth, while O'Sullivan scored above 9.000 with a 9.025 to tie for fifth. Holcomb was the lone Ithaca gymnast not to crack the 9.000-mark, scoring an 8.550 to come in a tie for eighth-place.
 
Traditionally, the balance beam has been Ithaca's strongest rotation. Although the Bombers had a little bit of trouble during Sunday's opening meet, IC was still able outscore the hosts by 3.275 points and snatch away five of the Top-6 places in the standings.
 
Much like Christoforo in her transition from vault to bars, Holcomb bounced back in her return to her primary event on the beam. She paced all gymnasts with a 9.500. Junior Paige Landes, coming off a remarkably consistent 2018 campaign, was once-again rock solid on Sunday. She came in second-place with a 9.400. Sophomore Kylee Black was next up for the Bombers, performing well in her collegiate debut in the lineup with a 9.100 to come in fourth-place. Senior Nina Bustamante placed fifth with a 9.075, while Julia O'Sullivan capped her three-event outing with an 8.825 to come in sixth. Ithaca's only miss in the rotation came from Marquette who experienced her lone hiccup in an otherwise outstanding season debut with a 7.950.
 
Ithaca's strongest event of the day came on floor, as the Bombers exceeded 48.000 as a team with a 48.025. The Bombers had five gymnasts score 9.525-or-better led by a duo at the top of the leaderboard.
 
It was a senior-freshman duo that paced the way on the day, as Nichols and first-year Mackenzie Kennedy each scored a 9.675. The performance was another typically strong one for Nichols, as the reigning All-American in the event seemingly did not miss a beat in her return to competition action. The outing for Kennedy was an exceptional start for one of IC's most promising rookie talents.
 
Providing strong backing behind the group up top was senior Victoria Gery who continued to deliver textbook performances for Ithaca. She got her 2019 campaign started in style with a 9.600 to come in third. Marquette and sophomore Alexis Griffin rounded out the Top-5 in the standings for IC. Marquette continued her big afternoon with a 9.550 to come in fourth-place, while Griffin was right behind her with a 9.525. Trammell was Ithaca's other lineup entrant in the event, posting an 8.450.
 
Ithaca returns to action next Saturday, January 19, when it is set to make its 2019 home debut at Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers will welcome Brockport and Springfield for a tri-meet competition set to begin at 1:00 p.m.