Penn to host ECAC gymnastics tourney

The Penn gymnastics team, the Ivy League champion, is looking to complete the season with a finish in the top two of this weekend's Eastern College Athletic Conference championships, hosted by Penn. The Quakers are entering the competition seeded third, following James Madison and William and Mary, respectively. The Red and Blue have already beaten the Tribe at the Towson Invitational last month but have not faced the Dukes, who are competing at a much higher level than the Quakers. Vermont, Yale, Cornell and Brown will also be competing. Penn is still looking to break the 186-point mark, and with a full lineup and the support of family and friends in the Palestra, the Quakers hope to finally reach that elusive mark Saturday. The ECACs will be the final team competition of the year for Penn. The gymnasts hope to close out the season with a good placing in this meet. Having defeated four of the other six teams competing in the championships, the Quakers feel they should be performing at their top levels. Fortunately for Penn, spring break came at a time when the whole team needed to rest and recuperate after a long season. The rejuvenated team hopes to improve on an already successful season (7-2, 3-0) with at least a second-place finish behind JMU. All-season, Penn coach Tom Kovic has been saying he wants the team to be peaking as they go into the ECACs. The meet at Bridgeport was a move in the wrong direction, which can be due, in part, to the beat up team, but by Saturday, the well-rested team may be ready to peak. Penn lost its final dual meet against Bridgeport on March 8 by almost five points, but finished with a respectable 185.4 score, especially considering Penn tri-captain Kathleen Gunn didn't compete. Performances by Penn freshman Kirby Thorpe and senior Lori Taylor highlighted the meet and are symbolic of Penn's past and future. Thorpe normally only competes on the bars because an ankle injury early this season limited her events. She replaced Gunn on the vault and beam at Bridgeport. In her first time competing on the beam at the college level, she stuck her landing. "It's a great starting point," Thorpe said. "Somewhere to get even better from. It feels good to come into a team that's doing well and to be able to help." Taylor had her strongest floor routine of the season at Bridgeport. Unfortunately for her, the ECAC championships will be her final competition. "It's hard to go because I've had a great four years, but to leave on a good note is such a high," Taylor said. "It's sad but exciting."