With the Ivy Classic this weekend, the Penn gymnastics team faces its biggest test of the season. In arguably its most important meet, the Quakers will face off against Yale, Brown and Cornell.
The buzz in the air was evident at practice and with all the Ivies scoring at a similar level, the pressure is on.
"It's the biggest test of the season," assistant coach Jessy Smith said. "All the Ivy schools are so close, it's going to be whoever wants it the most that day, whoever hits their routines."
The team's season has been plagued by ups and downs - strong home wins and frustrating away losses and various injuries plaguing the squad.
Head coach John Ceralde feels it's really anybody's meet and it's up to his team, which has struggled with consistency, to take charge. Thus far in the season, Penn has beaten Yale, lost to Cornell, and has yet to compete against Brown.
"I think we have the most talent of all the Ivies, but we're a young team, so each week has been really different for us," Smith said. "Over all, I think we have the best chance of winning."
To add to the excitement, Alicia Sacramone of Brown, a 2005 Floor Exercise World Champion and a 2008 Beijing Olympic hopeful, will be coming to town. The best gymnast ever to come out of Massachusetts is trying to juggle Olympic training and an Ivy League education. Ceralde knows she will stand out.
Freshman Marissa Rosen, Penn's best competitor, doesn't think that this world champion will faze her team.
"It does make the meet very interesting to see a world champion, but at the same time one girl doesn't make a team," Rosen said.
Rosen, who didn't compete last week due to some ankle injuries, is rested and ready to show everybody that she and her team are a force to be reckoned with.
"It's going to come down to pride," Rosen said. "I think this team is going to impress a lot of people."
With so many freshmen on the team, however, nerves and overexcitement may be a problem. Junior Stephanie Ortiz says that she needs to help her younger teammates.
"I'm going to encourage my teammates and let them know that I'm there to support them," Ortiz said. "[The meet] is a pretty big test to see how we've come together as a team and how confident we are in ourselves."
Smith, Ceralde, Rosen and Ortiz know it's just about focusing on what the team has been practicing all year and staying consistent.
"There are always times you're going to have to fight through things," Rosen said.
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