Results (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – The third-ranked Ithaca College gymnastics team has followed a consistent upward trend over the past month. For the fourth consecutive outing the Bombers hit a new high mark in terms of overall team score, as IC surpassed the 190 points for the first time this year in the team's home opener at the 2019 Harriet Marranca Memorial Invitational. The performance elevated Ithaca's head-to-head record to 7-6 overall on the season, which includes a 7-2 record against Division III opposition.
 
The 190-point has been elusive for the Bombers this season; however, the team had been honing in on the mark over recent competitions. While the team's recent run really began in earnest with a 189.375 point showing at the Cornell Big Red Invite on February 9, back-to-back performances at Cortland (189.925) and Springfield (189.950) brought the Bombers within a whisker of the milestone. Fittingly, the team was finally able to break through in the meet hosted annually to commemorate the memory of the program's matriarch in Harriet Marranca. IC outpaced Brockport (188.000) and Rhode Island (179.575) to capture first-place at the event for a second consecutive season.
 
The Bombers' focus was evident right from the outset and it truly carried throughout the afternoon. IC posted its second-best score in vault on the year, before rolling to new season highs in both uneven bars and balance beam en route to the 190.350. It was consistency throughout the lineup, rather than huge personal scores, that ultimately paved the way to victory. Among IC's lineup entrants, sophomore Lauren Hansen and first-year Amelia Bailey were the only Ithaca gymnasts to set a new personal high on the day. Hansen scored hers by registering a 9.525 in floor exercise, while Bailey tallied a 9.250 in her second career beam routine. Across the board Ithaca was dynamite one-through-six, while also receiving several strong exhibition performances on the day. The Bombers finished the day with 21 Top-10 finishes across the four events.
 
Ithaca got the day started with an excellent run through the vault. Junior Cassidy Marquette continued to establish herself as a force in the event, pacing the Bombers with a second-place score of 9.625. Senior Carolyn Nichols continued her strong stretch run in the event, landing her double front tuck for a 9.575 that was good to tie for third with Brockport's Rachel Doll. Sophomore Marin Sheridan continued her remarkable consistency this season, registering another rock-solid score of 9.525 to come in fifth. Junior Baylie Trammell and sophomore Courtney Christoforo rounded out the Top-10 finishers for IC, posting a 9.375 and 9.325 to finish in a tie for eighth and 10^th, respectively. Senior Victoria Gery also competed for the Bombers and posted a solid effort of 9.200 to tie for 12^th.
 
IC really began to separate itself from the competition during the uneven bars rotation. It was a new season high for Ithaca in the event, as the Bombers hit the 47-point threshold for a second straight meet in scoring a season-best 47.450. It was Hansen that led the way for Ithaca, posting the second-best score of her career with a 9.550 to place first in the event on the day.
 
The Bombers also swept the third-through-sixth positions in the event. Senior Rachel Lee and junior Baylie Trammell tied for third-place, both posting scores of 9.500 on their routines. Christoforo finished just below that duo with a 9.475 to come in fifth. Sophomore Katie Holcomb kicked off her big afternoon with a 9.425 that was a three-way tie with Brockport's Amy Eck and Courtney Kamberalis for sixth. Sophomore Savannah Gigandet finished in a tie for 10^th with a 9.275.
 
Riding the momentum from the season high in the bars, the Bombers carried that energy into another season best in the balance beam. Ithaca had a sweep across the Top-3 spots to again widen the edge to an insurmountable lead heading into the final rotation.
 
Sophomore Katie Holcomb again turned in an absolutely huge routine in Ithaca's anchor position in the lineup. She tied her season high with a 9.800 that was easily good for first-place on the day. Lee continued her high-scoring afternoon with a 9.650 to come in second. Junior Paige Landes turned in another fantastic score, looking very much like her impeccable form of a season ago, with a 9.625 that tied Brockport's Olivia DeLuca for third. Junior Emily Szembrot added a Top-10 finish for IC, scoring a 9.450 that tied Rhode Island's Grace Davis for sixth place. First-year Amelia Bailey added her personal-best 9.250 to round out IC's scoring lineup in a 12^th-place finish. The lone fall on the day came from Nina Bustamante, resulting in an 8.525 score for the senior.
 
Ithaca brought things home with another excellent floor exercise rotation, which saw the Bombers sweep six of the Top-7 places overall. Gery once-again paced the group with a 9.700 that was good for first. First-year Mackenzie Kennedy was right behind in the runner-up position with a 9.575, finishing in a tie with Brockport's Chanya Earle. Hansen's personal-best 9.525 was enough to place fourth on the day, while sophomore Alexis Griffin and Nichols both posted 9.450 to tie for fifth and round out IC's scoring group. Trammell finished just off the pace with a 9.425 that was good for seventh.
 
Ithaca returns to action next Sunday, March 3, when it honors the five members of its senior class during another tri-meet at Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers will welcome Brockport and SUNY Cortland for the meet, which is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.