Tribe Scores Season-High vs. North Carolina

W&M Ties or Sets 11 Different Individual Season-Highs in Finest Outing in 2006

03/12/06 8:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG - For the second time this weekend, the William and Mary women’s gymnastics team performed in front of a home crowd, and once again the Tribe did not disappoint its home faithful on Sunday afternoon, scoring a season-high 190.950 in a dual meet against 25th-ranked North Carolina at Kaplan Arena. Despite 11 different individual season-high scores to the Tribe’s credit, the powerful Tar Heels, led by two-time national floor champion Courtney Bumpers, prevailed in the dual meet with an eye-catching final score of 194.700.

W&M, which defeated Bowling Green on Friday after totaling 188.350, used season-high scores on vault (48.025) and bars (47.900) Sunday afternoon to post its best team score since compiling a total of 191.750 in a dual meet win over James Madison on March 9th last season.

“This was a very nice overall performance by the girls today,” said head coach Mary Lewis. “We were great on Friday [vs. BGSU], before a couple slips on floor, but we picked things up today and only had to count one fall, which is a first for us this season.”

Leading the long list of individual highlights for the Tribe was junior Jess Randall (West Hartford, Conn.), who recorded a season and career-high all-around total of 38.275 to finish third overall. Bumpers, ranked fifth in the Southeast Region, was first in the all-around (39.350), followed by teammate Christine Robella (39.250), who was ranked sixth in the region coming in. Randall’s total included a season-best 9.675 on bars.

Stevie Waldman (Downington, Pa.) turned in another outstanding effort on bars, tying for second place with a 9.775. Waldman was also the Tribe’s top finisher on beam, as the sophomore scored a season-high 9.675 to finish fifth. Senior Brittany Gibbs (West Chester, Pa.) matched her season-high on vault with a 9.775 to tie for fifth, and junior Christina Padilla (Sterling, Va.) followed in sixth with a season-best 9.750.

Sophomore Tricia Long (Humble, Texas) was just behind Randall in fourth in the all-around with a season-high tying total of 37.950, which included season-bests on vault (9.550) and beam (9.600), as the W&M beam line-up once again was solid with a total of 47.425. The Tribe has now scored 46.975, or better, in its last three meets after a season-low 42.800 on Feb. 26th at West Virginia. Andrea Dochney (Westmont, N.J.) added to the success on beam with a season-high 9.600 to tie for sixth, after the junior won the individual title on Friday with a 9.525. Dochney also had a big afternoon on bars, scoring a season-high 9.400 in just her second appearance in the bars line-up.

After Long set the tone for the afternoon leading off vault in the first rotation, freshman Sarah Jacobson (Brecksville, Ohio) delighted the home crowd with a strong 9.500, leaving little doubt it would be a good day for the Tribe. Randall started her afternoon off with a solid 9.450, before Padilla and Gibbs followed with their stunning vaults to finish the team’s great start. Freshman Ashley Lugo (Central Islip, N.Y.) also got into the act, scoring a career-best 9.375 in an exhibition.

Fresh off a first-place finish Friday on bars, Waldman once again set the standard for the line-up. Junior Janelle Greene (Fairfax, Va.) turned in a solid 9.550 in the anchor spot, and Long’s 9.500 also counted toward the team total, along with Randall and Dochney’s season-high scores.

In the final rotation, W&M atoned for its lackluster finish Friday, scoring a 47.600 to cap an outstanding afternoon. Randall was the Tribe’s top finisher in third (9.700), and senior Kate Magee (McLean, Va.) wasn’t far behind after her stirring floor routine scored a 9.600. Gibbs was sensational on floor as usual, notching a 9.525, which still stood strong in seventh despite a neutral deduction. Senior Kristen Gaidish (Abington, Pa.) added a 9.475, and Long finished her magnificent afternoon with a 9.300 to round out the team total.

The Tribe continues its homestand on Wednesday night, hosting ECAC rivals James Madison and Towson at 7 p.m. in the final home meet of the season.

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