The Quakers are on a roll.
Penn, currently ranked No. 37, hosted Senior Night this past Friday in its second home meet of the season against Cornell, George Washington, and William & Mary. The Palestra was packed with family and friends who came out to support the graduating seniors.
“These seniors mean everything,” said sophomore Manama Fofana. “They’ve seen me from the start of freshman year, they’ve watched my progress and growth. A lot of them are responsible for my progress and growth too. So, it’s just, I’m so excited to finish out the season with them, but it’s bittersweet.”
Vault
Freshman Ananya Patanakul sailed through the air, scoring 9.750 with a complicated half-twist vault. GEC Gymnast of the Week Fofana raised the bar for the Quakers with a 9.825, which was only topped by junior Jordan Barrow’s 9.850. Barrow’s landing was so grounded, her feet seemed glued to the mat. In total, the Quakers scored 48.925 on their vault rotation — their best team vault score of the season.
Bars
Senior Marissa Lassiter led off the rotation with some strong handstands on the bar and a stuck landing, which set the tone for the rest of the team. Freshman Ruth Whaley and sophomore Luci Toczydlowski followed in her footsteps, both displaying beautiful body extensions on the high and low bars. Barrow demonstrated remarkable composition throughout her routine, ultimately earning the highest score of the rotation with a 9.775. Penn earned a total score of 48.625, placing third amongst the teams just behind George Washington and Cornell.
Beam
The Quakers delivered on the balance beam as five out of the six gymnasts in the lineup set new career highs.
Whaley, a Quaker beam staple, surpassed her previous career high in the beam with a score of 9.875. Senior Carly Oniki kept the momentum going with a strong tumbling display, garnering a 9.850. Senior Alisha Werlen also managed to squeak past her previous career high record with a 9.875.
Fofana left her teammates and the crowd in awe as she smashed her previous record in the beam with a 9.925, tying her for the second-highest beam score in program history. Altogether, the Quakers gathered 49.375 points during the beam rotation, putting up the second-highest team beam score in program history. Unsurprisingly, they towered over all three other competing teams in this rotation.
Floor
Senior Alyssa Rosen brought the heat with expressive dancing, strong tumbling, and a particularly well-landed double back tuck. In another routine, sophomore Maggie Murphy let her personality shine, combining hip-hop dancing and strong tumbling before ending in a breakdancing freeze. Lassiter took to the floor as if it was her personal night club, earning the highest score of the rotation with a 9.850. Fofana and freshman Ava Hooten tied for the second-highest scores of the rotation, each earning a 9.825. The Quakers achieved their highest score of the season in this event with a total score of 49.075.
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Penn won its fifth straight meet of the season with a flat total of 196.000, surpassing George Washington, who trailed by a point and a half, as well as Cornell and William & Mary.
“I just think it’s so rewarding, and honestly, like satisfying to see all of our efforts pay off,” says Fofana. “My goal today, and our team’s goal, was just to honor our seniors and do it for them.”
The Quakers will return to the Palestra on Feb. 15 for their final home meet of the season.
