The Penn gymnastics team came close to upsetting Cornell but couldn’t overcome the recently crowned Ivy League champion’s powerful presence in the floor competition.
After falling behind in the initial event, vault, Penn demonstrated its depth in the bars and the beam.
Freshman Dana Bonincontri was the high scorer for the Quakers in those events and won on the bars.
While the Quakers entered the floor competition with a slight lead, Cornell’s talent in the final event ultimately proved too much.
“The meet is not guaranteed to anyone,” Penn coach John Ceralde said. “It depends on who wants it most each day.”
Penn received another strong performance from its freshmen. Kirsten Strausbaugh was Penn’s top individual scorer on the floor.
Earlier this week, Strausbaugh was named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rookie of the Week. Joining her on the honor roll was Bonincontri, who received the ECAC Coach’s Choice award.
In Bonincontri’s debut to the All-Around competition, she took home top honors.
“It feels really good to be back competing again in that event,” said Bonincontri, who was hampered by injuries earlier this season.
And despite the loss, Bonincontri is confident heading into next Saturday’s ECAC Championships.
“We’ve worked all season for this and put in a lot of hours at the gym.” she said.
The Quakers viewed Saturday’s match as preparation for the upcoming championship meet.
“We just need to put it together for our next meet,” he said. “They know exactly what they need to take care of.”
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