Aleka Tsiknias leaped onto the high bar and struck a perfect handstand. Her execution consisted of clean lines, pointed toes and immense control of her form. A stellar straddle jaeger and a flight down to the low bar landed her a 9.925, the highest score Maryland has received across all four events so far this season.
The Terps also notched their best score of the season as a team on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough for Maryland (3-2, 1-2 Big Ten) as it fell to No. 15 Ohio State (8-1, 3-1 Big Ten) in Columbus, 197.575-196.475.
The Buckeyes took control in the first rotation with three back-to-back stuck landings and 9.900 scores on the vault to put them slightly ahead of the Terps. By the end of the meet, Ohio State notched 10 scores of 9.990 or greater.
Olivia Weir returned to Maryland’s lineup for the first time this season after she suffered an ankle injury before the beginning of the year. Weir competed on both the vault and beam in her last competition, but only performed on vault against the Buckeyes and scored a 9.775.
“I still don’t think she’s 100 percent but she’s such a tough kid and such a tough competitor,” coach Brett Nelligan said of Weir. “What she brings to the team as far as leadership and voice, that’s another benefit that she brings to us having her back in that lineup.”
[Despite loss to No. 12 Michigan State, Maryland gymnastics flashed potential]
The uneven bars was once again a strength for the Terps, with the event being their highest scoring of the day for the second straight meet. All-arounder Emma Silberman hit her season-high with a 9.900 and had full control of the space between both bars, flying elegantly between both.
Sierra Kondo and Elizabeth Debarberie each scored 9.825 in addition to the performances of Tsiknias and Silberman, contributing to the Terps’ score of 49.250 on bars.
Tayler Osterhout fell out of bounds during her first tumbling pass on floor, accounting for a .100 deduction from her score. However, she was able to execute her final tumbling pass, a double-back pike, with precision and a stuck landing.
“[Osterhout] puts a smile on her face and then helps her teammates to find a way to be successful,” Nelligan said. “She obviously didn’t have the performance she wanted, but the rest of her teammates got it done for her on the floor.”
Josephine Kogler closed out for Maryland on the beam with a 9.900, the highest score the Terps have scored on the event so far this season. Her balance and coordination from leap to leap earned her third place overall in the event.
[Maryland gymnastics beat Nebraska in Big Ten opener, 195.875-195.325]
Maddie Komoroski, who came into the meet averaging about a 9.800 on beam, executed a front aerial with confidence and notched her second best score of the season with a 9.850.
The freshman was also inserted into the exhibition spot on floor and added to her success on beam with a 9.825. Nelligan said there’s certainly a spot for Komoroski to crack the floor lineup in the future.
“We wanted to give [Komoroski] a couple weeks to kind of acclimate herself to competing in college,” Nelligan said. “She proved tonight that she’s certainly ready to go.”
Nelligan was still proud of his squad’s “gutsy performance” despite the Terps falling to their second straight loss, and Maryland will look to get back in the win column at Rutgers on Saturday.
“We made a lot of good progress from the past few meets,” Kogler said. “I think we still have a lot more that we could do, so I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
