COLLEGE PARK, Md.— No. 22 Maryland gymnastics opened Big Ten play with a hard-fought win, 194.625-193.575, over No. 32 Washington.
The Terps came into Saturday’s match after a resounding victory in the Terrapin Quad Meet, beating New Hampshire. George Washington and Long Island University.
Going into this meet, the Terps are currently nationally ranked 19th on Vault, 22nd on Bars and 23rd on Floor. Maryland was also ranked third on Vault in the Big Ten. Graduate student Katrina Mendez-Abolnik and Junior Logan Buckmon were tied for second on Vault in the Big Ten. Senior Madeline Komoroski and Freshman Emily DeFrees were tied for 10th on Floor in the Big Ten.
The Terps started their night on Vault, with an incredible stick from Rayna Engelmayer, scoring a 9.825. Mendez-Abolnik continued her stellar Vault streak and took home the highest score of a 9.850 on Vault for the whole competition. The Terps left the vault with a score of 49.100, leading Washington by 0.900.
Maryland had its second rotation at the Uneven Bars. After starting the rotation with a fall from Buckmon, Komoroski and Aine Reade both put up scores of 9.725 — it was the highest for the Terps and the second highest of the evening.
This season is Komoroski’s first doing bars. She decided to add the new event in her senior year. She also added an exhibition vault, making this year her most challenging one yet.
“I had been battling some injuries for the past couple of years, but I felt the strongest I had ever felt coming into this year,” Komoroski said.
Reade and Chelsey Dennis stuck their dismounts, with Dennis scoring a 9.700. The Terps scored 48.525, keeping a 0.825 lead over Washington.
The third event of the evening for Maryland was the Beam. DeFrees took home the highest beam score of the evening with a 9.875, thanks to her stuck 1.5 dismount.
Reade joined DeFrees in sticking her dismounts, helping the Terps score a 48.950. Thus, extending their lead over Washington to 1.775. This was their most improved event, as they scored over three-tenths higher than at the Terrapin Quad Meet.
The Terps started shaky on Floor Exercise, with an unfortunate fall from DeFrees and a tremendous save keeping Gianna Ruffing from the same fate.
Kolger, Komoroski and Rech all hit their routines, but unfortunately, Reade fell on the last routine for the Terps. Even though the Terps had to count Ruffing’s save, they still won comfortably over Washington.
Reade took home the all-around title. Mendez-Abolnik took home the Vault title, Reade and Komoroski placed second on Uneven Bars, DeFrees tied for the Balance Beam title and Komoroski secured the Floor title.
Despite overall success for the Terps, it was not exactly the night they wanted.
“We got ourselves into some rocky situations,” Head coach Brett Nelligan said. “They took last week [on beam] really personal… They made a point to come out and show who they truly are.”
The Terps will travel to Penn State on Jan. 25 for their first away game and second Big Ten matchup. They will return to Xfinity Center on Feb. 7 to compete against Rutgers.
“[Tonight] prepares us better for the road than maybe just as easy meet,” Nelligan said.
