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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Ending with a team-best 48.600 on vault, Rutgers gymnastics opened its 2015 season with a 191.825 score Saturday in a quad meet at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State. The Nittany Lions took first in the meet with a 194.675, with New Hampshire (193.450), RU and Cornell (186.725) following.

"I thought it was an okay meet to start the season," fourth-year head coach Louis Levine said. "We are not where we need to be yet, but there were no major deductions on the routines. There were just little mistakes here and there and they all added up. We gained valuable experience today and will learn from it."

The Scarlet Knights performed best in the fourth rotation on vault with a 48.600. Senior Luisa Leal (Cali, Colombia) and freshman Sahara Gipson (Oakland, N.J.) - in her career debut - led the way at 9.750, with junior Jenna Williams (Bordentown, N.J.) scoring a 9.725. Junior Nicolette Wilson (Toms River, N.J.) also contributed a 9.700 in the event.

"We had some really good vaults today," Levine said. "Vault is probably our most consistent event at the moment."

RU started the meet on uneven bars and netted a 47.500 after hitting all six routines. An all-conference performer in the event last season, senior Emma Hoffman (Union, N.J.) paced the Scarlet Knights with a 9.700.

Junior Claudia Salinas (Allendale, N.J.) led Rutgers in the second rotation with a 9.750 on balance beam. Senior Anastasia Halbig (Schwenksville, Pa.) also added a 9.700, as the team put up a 48.450.

On floor exercise, sophomore Charly Santagado (Celebration, Fla.) recorded a 9.800 on her routine to tie for first in the meet, the highest score for a Scarlet Knight on the day. She has now registered that score in three consecutive meets, including the EAGL Championships and NCAA Regionals last season. Classmate April Baker (Andover, Mass.) notched a 9.700 to help to a 47.275 team mark.

Baker competed all-around for Rutgers for the first time in her career, putting up a 38.500. Freshmen Jenna Crisalli (Freehold, N.J.), Elizabeth Groden (Abbottstown, Pa.) and Ayana Lee (Bridgewater, N.J.) joined Gipson as RU gymnasts to make their collegiate debuts.

Rutgers will remain on the road next weekend with a dual meet at Illinois Jan. 17 at 4 p.m.

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