Maryland gymnastics, usually a strong team on the vault table and in the air, made a few form mistakes in that category. That forced the No. 19 ranked vault team in the nation to its lowest score of the season.

The Terps couldn’t overcome that low score Sunday and fell to No. 17 Minnesota at home, 196.650-196.800. Maryland (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) competed in its second meet of the weekend after defeating Southern Connecticut Friday.

“I thought we came out a little cautious and I told them we can’t do that,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “We got to be aggressive from start to finish. So our focus this week in the gym … is coming out aggressive from start to finish.”

Maryland scored a 49.000 on vault as the unit struggled with its leg separation and took too many steps on landings. That low mark came even as Emma Silberman and Alexsis Rubio led the Terps with 9.850s.

Silberman’s score came after she attempted a Yurchenko full on back pike off, a difficult maneuver per Nelligan. The move has a 10.0 start value and requires skill that few collegiate gymnasts possess. Last year, Silberman competed the same skill in a tuck position but now she competes it in a more advanced pike position.

“We asked her, ‘Hey, do you think you can do a pike?’,” Nelligan said. “It took her 10 seconds, she said ‘Yeah, I can do a pike.’”

[No. 24 Maryland gymnastics downs Southern Connecticut State, 196.550-193.400]

Silberman also tied for first in the all-around, tying Minnesota’s Gianna Gerdes with a 39.325.

“She’s an incredible gymnast, an incredible competitor,” said Nelligan. “As a human, as a teammate, as a Terp, she’s one of the best to ever do it.”

Minnesota (7-3-1, 3-1-1 Big Ten) showed why it ranks No. 9 in the nation in the event, with each of its gymnasts notching scores at or above 9.800. Minnesota’s Maddie Quarles stuck her landing and scored a 9.925.

The Terps responded with a strong uneven bars rotation that showcased perfect handstands and clean double back layouts to the mat. Sierra Kondo struggled in the event against Southern Connecticut, scoring a 9.275 after overpowering a handstand on the high bar that forced her to come down to the floor and reset.

But Kondo displayed great composure and artistry to earn a 9.900 against the Golden Gophers, earning the highest score for both teams.

Floor was Maryland’s worst event entering the meet, ranking No. 33 in the nation. But the Terps earned their highest floor score in six years in the floor exercise Sunday with a 49.450. Maryland scored one 9.900 and two 9.925s.

Taylor Rech led off for Maryland, watching the ground as she landed a double back tuck. The freshman earned a career-high 9.850.

[No. 25 Maryland gymnastics sets season-high total with 196.875-196.325 win over Rutgers]

Maddie Komoroski and Alexa Rothenbuescher each scored 9.925 on the floor. The score is Komoroski’s highest since she was inserted into the floor lineup last week against Rutgers and tied the Terps’ highest floor score of the season.

“I thought we started a little slow,” Nelligan said. “But as the night was going on, we were bringing up the intensity and that’s what I asked them to do.”

Reese McClure finished the event for Maryland, bringing 70s disco party music to the Xfinity Center in the process. She earned a 9.850.

“I think each person just builds off the next,” McClure said. “It’s such an honor that I get to go last. I love just being able to get out there.”

McClure also excelled on the balance bean with a 9.875. She’d been working on sticking her dismount, she said, effort that paid off Sunday as she landed it. The Terps earned a 49.150 overall in the event.

But the poor performance on vault doomed the Terps to a loss. McClure hopes her team starts more relaxed ahead of the next meet.“We just need to get back to being us and kind of start a little looser on vault and bars and then everything else will come behind it,” McClure said.