Gymnastics takes on fellow Pa. universities

On February 7, the Penn gymnastics team raised its performance level to a higher plane. Spurred on by a foot-stomping homecoming crowd, the Quakers ripped apart three team scoring records and an individual record in an impressive victory over Ivy and ECAC rival Brown. The Red and Blue (3-1) hope to carry the momentum of the Brown meet into tonight's showdown at Hutchinson Gymnasium (6 p.m.). After 11 days off of competition, the Quakers host West Chester University, Ursinus College and Wilson College. "We're looking to go in after a week off of competition to get in there and basically build upon that foundation that we built last week against Brown," Quakers coach Tom Kovic (62-48, in his eleventh year at the Penn helm) said. For Penn, the main focus tonight will be on achieving a high team score. Though Penn shattered its team scoring record with 189.075 points against Brown, Coach Kovic hopes that mark serves as a stepping stone to even greater achievements. "We're looking to maintain that high scoring average in the high 180s and low 190s for the ECAC qualifying score and also for the regional NCAA qualifying. They take the top seven teams in the region," Kovic said. "We're currently ninth and looking real good." Kovic has reason to be optimistic about the Quakers progress. Penn (184.344 average in four dual meets) has improved upon its previous scoring performance in each of its dual meets this season. Since opening with a score of 178.50 in a victory over Cornell, Penn has averaged an increase of 3.525 points per meet over its most recent score. Penn holds high expectations for itself as it heads into tonight's action. "We're going to go into the next one with just that much more confidence," Penn tri-captain Shilpa Rao said after her team's last victory. Tonight's opponents enter the meet having taken a much different road to Hutch. For Wilson College, merely stepping out and competing is a victory. The gymnastics program at Wilson (0-6) is brand new. Coach Kovic called Wilson's efforts this year "gallant." Competing with a team of four gymnasts, Wilson scored 123.275 points in its most recent competition, a tri-meet loss to Brockport and West Chester. ECAC Division II West Chester has a team of gymnasts which Kovic calls "much improved." Last season, West Chester lost to Penn, 184.80-154.825. West Chester has already faced Ursinus in the 1998 season. On February 4, the West Chester Golden Rams defeated the Bears of Ursinus, 176.875-171.875. The Ursinus gymnastics team enters competition fresh from a narrow, 173.325-173.050 loss to Cortland. Last year, Penn defeated ECAC Division III Ursinus, 184.80-172.075. Though Penn has not competed for 11 days, they have been hard at work preparing for the second half of the season. "[The 11-day break from competition] gives us a chance to really look at films, take a look at areas where we need to improve and just refine any weak areas we happen to see and just push forward," Kovic said after the last meet. "We're at a great point in the season right now." Following tonight's action, the Quakers face a test when they head to Maryland for the Towson Invitational on February 22. The Towson Tigers have made 11 straight appearances in the NCAA Southeast Regionals. At last year's competition, Penn placed fourth in a tough field which included GW and Maryland.

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