On a night with much change — three of Maryland gymnastics’ lineups had a new member — the Terps could have easily struggled coming off their season-low. Instead, they bounced back.
In its closest meet of the year, Maryland narrowly lost to No. 22 Penn State, 195.500-195.250, at Xfinity Center on Thursday. The score marks the team’s third time surpassing 195 this season and a significant improvement from their 194.625-point outing last Sunday.
An already inexperienced vault unit had a new look against Penn State after sophomore Layla Hammer suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday at the Rutgers Quad.
Freshman Rayna Engelmayer scored a 9.675 in her first non-exhibition experience after replacing Hammer, who was competing on vault for the first time this year.
“We were really proud [of] the way [Engelmayer] stepped up,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “As a freshman coming here … first time in the starting lineup, I thought she did a great job. Really was calm and poised.”
Junior Taylor Rech scored 9.800, her second straight showing of at least 9.8, but hops and stumbles on landing led to deductions for other veterans in the lineup.
Graduate student Alexa Rothenbuescher and junior Rhea LeBlanc both had unsteady landings, scoring below 9.700.
[Natalie Martin’s mental resets have led to late-meet improvements for Maryland gymnastics]
Sophomore Natalie Martin, one of three Terps competing in three events and Maryland’s top scorer on vault, scored 9.850. Martin had the team’s cleanest landing and has now scored at least 9.800 on vault in all five of Maryland’s meets this year.
Maryland started the meet with a respectable 48.725 in its first rotation.
The bars personnel also changed, with senior Tasha Brozowski replacing Rothenbuescher and competing for the first time this season.
Rothenbuescher conferred with Nelligan after falls led to consecutive sub-9 scores on bars in the last two meets, and decided to take a week off from the event.
Brozowski has specialized in bars during her four years with the program, competing in the second half of her sophomore year and as a full-time starter last season.
The senior’s 9.777 average last year was the Terps’ third-highest on bars. She scored 9.700 against Penn State, though her score was dropped after the rest of the lineup excelled.
Bars specialist Sierra Kondo scored 9.850 and Hailey Merchant posted a 9.875, her best since transferring from NC State two years ago.
“It’s definitely a breakthrough performance,” Merchant said. “It’s just exciting coming out here and doing such a great routine, and then honestly building off of it, knowing that I can do even better than that.”
Maryland put itself behind the eight-ball early on beam.
[Maryland gymnastics secures narrow win at Rutgers Quad with season-low score]
A pair of sub-9.7 performances from sophomore Lauren Brendlinger and Engelmayer, once again filling in for Hammer, but both scores were counted as Rothenbuescher’s struggles continued afterward.
The team’s all-arounder scored 9.025, her first beam score below 9.500 this season. Fortunately for Maryland, its final three gymnasts salvaged the rotation.
Senior Victoria Gatzendorfer scored 9.750, Martin tallied 9.800 for a second time and junior Madeline Komoroski capped the event with a season-best 9.900, also the Terps’ highest score of the meet.
Maryland recorded a final score of 48.650 on beam, bouncing back from its 47.975 last week.
The Terps closed out the day with their worst score of the year on floor, yet still posted a respectable 48.875. Their floor ranking may slightly decline from No. 19, but it firmly remains the team’s best event.
Senior Rhea LeBlanc led the way with a 9.825, tied with Rech for best in the lineup. LeBlanc managed to shine on floor despite battling the flu throughout the week..
“[LeBlanc] is a warrior,” Nelligan said. “I mean, 48 hours ago she was sick in bed with a fever, and we tried to leave her out but she wasn’t having it.”
After a bounce-back meet, the Terps take a West Coast trip next week to take on Big Ten newcomer Washington. The team will still be without Hammer, but hopes to have a rejuvenated Rothenbuescher back competing in all four events.
