An uncharacteristic showing on bars and another down performance on beam put Maryland gymnastics in an early hole.
But the Terps responded excellently in their final two rotations. Despite posting a season-low score of 194.625, Maryland secured a first-place finish in the Rutgers Quad on Sunday over Rutgers, Utica and Fisk.
The Terps (5-4) started their day on bars, in which they ranked 19th in the nation entering the quad. The lineup has been their most consistent unit, posting at least a 48.9 in all three meets this year.
But they started much slower than usual on Sunday.
Senior Victoria Gatzendorfer scored 9.575, her first time with an output lower than 9.750 on bars this year. Freshman Sarah Saville, the unit’s second-leading scorer by average score and one of the highest scorers in any event for Maryland, posted a 9.600.
Bars specialist Sierra Kondo, who holds the Terps’ highest average score in any event, slightly underperformed with a 9.750. Still, the unit’s scores increased with every gymnast.
“We were just off today, from the first half of the meet,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “We just couldn’t seem to find our rhythm … but I was really proud of how they responded [in] the second half of the meet.”
[Rhea LeBlanc provides a needed consistency for Maryland gymnastics]
Fifth in the lineup was graduate student Alexa Rothenbuescher, who’s endured adversity this year. The team’s all-arounder ended her floor routine early against No. 11 UCLA after experiencing cramping, and fell on bars last week against Nebraska.
Her struggles continued in the quad. She once again fell, this time on her dismount. The mistake dropped her score to 8.775, her third straight event with major deductions and a sub-9 score.
But Rhea LeBlanc remained unflappable to keep Maryland steady. She delivered with a 9.750 after Rothenbuescher’s fall, the second straight meet she’s responded following Rothenbuescher’s miscue.
Even with LeBlanc’s clutch performance, the bars lineup still posted a season-low 48.450.
The Terps followed on bars with their beam lineup. The most volatile unit of the team, which has scored as high as 49.325 but as low as 47.675, continued its inconsistency.
Sophomore Layla Hammer started the event by stumbling off the beam shortly into her routine. Rothenbuescher, sophomore Lauren Brendlinger and junior Madeline Komoroski all scored a 9.8 or higher.
But a second 9.125 from Gatzendorfer and a 9.425 from sophomore Natalie Martin scoring 9.425 worsened the final total to 47.975, Maryland’s second-lowest score of the season.
“We are a really good beam team … but we’ve gotta find a way to do it on a consistent basis,” Nelligan said. “And I think I’m gonna chalk that up to just being the beginning of the season.”
[Maryland gymnastics falls short in 196.325-195.950 loss to Nebraska]
Then, the Terps shined on floor in their marquee performance of the meet.
Five of the unit’s six gymnasts scored at least a 9.8. Martin and Komoroski, set new season highs, while LeBlanc matched her highest mark of the season. Rothenbuescher tied for a team-high score with a 9.875.
Consistency across the board — unlike in the previous two rotations — powered the lineup to a season-best 49.250.
Maryland wrapped up the meet with another strong rotation, this time on vault. The Terps tied their season-best output with a total score of 48.950. Hammer and Logan Buckmon, the lineup’s two inexperienced sophomores, both stumbled to score 9.250 and 9.675, respectively.
During her vault routine, Hammer injured her ankle and was in a “considerable amount of pain,” Nelligan said.
Maryland’s veterans made up for the early struggles.
LeBlanc, Martin and junior Taylor Rech replicated their scores from floor, all scoring over 9.8. LeBlanc set a season-high on vault with 9.850 and Martin notched a 9.875, matching a season-best.
The strong back-half of the meet gave Maryland the narrow win. It bounced back following two straight losses, and will return home for just the second time this season to face Penn State up next.