TOWSON, Md. – Rutgers gymnastics scored a 49.125 in the second rotation on floor exercise to highlight a 193.825 performance Friday at Towson. No. 19 George Washington won the tri-meet with a 196.300, while the host Tigers finished at 196.250. It was the first leg of a weekend that also features a competition on Sunday for the Scarlet Knights.
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"We had a great floor rotation as a team with several outstanding performances on the other events," head coach
Louis Levine said. "We have one more opportunity this weekend to go out and perform."
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Four marks of 9.800 or better boosted RU to a 49.125 on floor exercise, the second time eclipsing the 49-plateau on the event this season. Junior
Jenna Rizkalla led with a 9.875 to reach at least a 9.800 for the fifth time season. Freshman
Belle Huang followed at 9.850, while senior
Makenzey Shank picked up a 9.825 and freshman
Toni Williams matched her best at 9.800. In addition, freshman
Hannah Prieto had her highest mark in four meets at 9.775. That all added up to the team score that tied for the 11
th best in program history.
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Rutgers followed up with a 48.450 on vault, as Huang, Williams and junior
Michelle Amoresano all leaped to a 9.750. In the final rotation, Shank paced the uneven bars group with a 9.775. Amoresano contributed a 9.750 and Farrell collected a 9.725 on the way to a 47.950 number.
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The Scarlet Knights began the evening with a 48.300 on balance beam. Shank, who is the reigning Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week after tying the school record with a 9.925 routine last time, came through with a 9.800. Sophomore
Erin McLachlan added a 9.750 and Farrell impressed to a 9.700.
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Rutgers will quickly return Sunday with a quad meet at George Washington. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m.
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TOTAL SCORE: 193.825
VAULT: 48.450
UNEVEN BARS: 47.950
BALANCE BEAM: 48.300
FLOOR EXERCISE: 49.125
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