It’s been nearly two decades since Maryland gymnastics’ floor routine had success like it did Sunday.
The Terps set multiple individual career highs and scored a 49.525 on floor, tying a program record set in 2004 en route to a first place finish in the Terp Quad. The performance continued a strong season for a unit ranked No. 27 in the nation. Maryland’s previous floor routine season high came Feb. 19, when it scored a 49.450 against Minnesota.
“You always got to finish strong,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “That floor was, I’m speechless. I mean it was really exceptional, one of our highest scores ever. I’m really proud.”
Taylor Rech soared high on her first pass, landing a front-double full to lead off the rotation. Rech, who has consistently started on floor for the Terps all season, earned a 9.850 to tie her career high.
“She’s been great all season, and we were just kind of able to build going from her,” Reese McClure said.
Sophomore Rhea LeBlanc followed with “Confident” by Demi Lovato playing in the background. The music powered her to a career-high 9.900.
LeBlanc competed on floor in eight meets her freshman year, averaging 9.775 on the floor exercise this season.
[Seniors lead No. 25 Maryland gymnastics to season-high 196.950 in Terp Quad win]
Maddie Komoroski, one of just two freshmen in Nelligan’s scoring floor lineup, spent the season’s first four meets in the exhibition spot.
She exhibited perfect toe points and a strong rudi to open her routine. The freshman’s performance earned her a 9.925, the highest floor score of the afternoon and tied her career high.
Tayler Osterhout re-entered the floor lineup in Thursday’s Temple Quad Meet, after being absent from the scoring lineup for four straight meets. She fell during a routine earlier in the season but replaced the injured Alexa Rothenbuescher.
She displayed great power in her final tumbling pass Sunday — a double back pike in which she flew high and held a solid pike form through two consecutive flips. The routine secured her a career-high 9.900.
[No. 25 Maryland gymnastics rebounds with 196.600 score at Temple Quad meet]
On her senior night, Emma Silberman also earned a 9.900 after executing two well-controlled tumbling passes in one of her last routines with Maryland.
“We went out here today, and we absolutely crushed it,” Silberman said. “Ending on floor at home is just special, and I think we’re definitely gonna miss that.”
Fellow senior McClure stepped on the floor to close the routine with her team’s spirits high. Maryland scored five routines 9.900 or higher at the meet.
“The energy was great today, everyone came in super excited to just really put forth some great routines for the seniors,” McClure said. “It was really amazing to see everything come together.”
As the team inches closer to the postseason, Nelligan is hopeful his squad’s confidence can continue.
“As a unit … the score is great. But what we did tonight is rebuild our confidence,” he said. “That’s what’s gonna set us up for the rest of March and heading into the postseason.”
