With the Maryland gymnastics team needing a big performance on floor after faltering on beam, junior Alecia Farina stepped to the mat, hoping to put up a solid display in an event she’s struggled with at times.

Entering Saturday’s meet, the 2018 second-team All-Big Ten selection had yet to eclipse her season-high 9.775 on floor, despite breaking 9.8 nine times last year, including four scores of 9.9 or above.

In an otherwise underwhelming Big Ten championships performance from the Terps, Farina broke out for her first 9.9 of the season on floor. While Maryland notched its lowest score since Jan. 26 — in part due to a poor display on beam — Farina was a large part of the team’s best floor performance this season.

“[Floor] was awesome. [It] was kind of a turning point for us,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “That’s when we got back to being ourselves and just enjoying competition … instead of trying to be careful and not make mistakes.”

[Read more: Maryland gymnastics earns 194.8 at Big Ten championships after faltering on beam]

The Terps, ranked No. 30 on floor, failed to break 49 seven times in the event during their first eight meets.

However, after posting a 48.675 on March 1, Maryland saw steep improvement. Nelligan’s squad focused more on the routine than the scores, and the Terps have since strung together 49s in their last five meets.

“On floor, we’ve been just trying to stay in bounds, [stay] in control of our passes [and] stay clean in the air,” sophomore Collea Burgess said. “That’s really made our routines go from a 9.8 to high-9.8s and 9.9s.”

Maryland’s resurgence on floor culminated with an impressive performance on Saturday, with sophomores Audrey Barber and Sabriyya Rouse adding scores of 9.875 and 9.85, respectively, to push the team to a season-high 49.225 score in the event.

“I was super excited after my floor routine,” Rouse said. “It’s always a great feeling when you are able to nail your routine and keep the energy flowing.”

[Read more: Entering its final regular-season meet, Maryland gymnastics is on an upswing]

As the Terps improve in the event, their confidence builds. Farina has posted up-and-down results this season, resulting in sharp increases and decreases in scores. Before her 9.9, Farina posted a 9.575. And in a span of six meets between Feb. 8 and March 8, she scored as low as 9.075 and as high as 9.775.

But Farina acted as a vocal leader in the buildup to her routine Saturday, and backed it up with a season high.

“Alecia was big for us,” Nelligan said. “She was instrumental in getting everybody pumped up for floor, she did it both verbally … and then with her performance — scoring that big 9.9 got everyone going on floor.”

While Maryland failed to hit its expectations in the Big Ten championships, the impressive floor displays could fuel a young squad as they prepare for next month’s NCAA Regionals, building off increased consistency on floor over the past month.

“The floor rotation shows how mentally tough of a team we are,” Rouse said. “This team never seizes to amaze me at how willing we are to fight.”