W&M Scores a Season-High, But Falls to UNC and Rutgers

Waldman, Padilla Continue to Shine; Magee Has Career Day

02/19/05 11:30PM

Chapel Hill, NC - Despite recording a season-high score of 191.150, William and Mary fell to regional-powers North Carolina and Rutgers this afternoon in women’s collegiate gymnastics action at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels claimed individual and team wins in every event Saturday to remain unbeaten on the season, improving to 13-0 with a team score of 195.850. Rutgers posted a mark of 192.100 to edge the Tribe by less than a point and improve to 10-4 on the year.

As the team passed the midway point of the season, the College again began to show signs of turning around a year that has been plagued by injuries. W&M set season-highs on vault, with a team mark of 48.075, and on beam, where the Tribe has arguably been hit the hardest, with a 47.575.

Also, in what was the team’s best all-around effort of the year, the Tribe’s two freshmen, Stevie Waldman (Downingtown, PA) and Tricia Long (Humble, TX), the reigning ECAC Rookie of the Week, registered solid all-round performances with scores of 38.650 and 37.525, respectively. Waldman held her own against the powerful Tar Heel gymnasts, who took the top-four spots, with a season and career-high score. Waldman placed fifth in the all-around, just behind 2004 floor exercise national champion Courtney Bumpers, who posted a 38.750.

On vault, sophomore Christina Padilla (Sterling, VA) continued to be the Tribe’s most consistent scorer in the event, as she tallied a 9.700. Padilla has now led of tied for the team lead on vault in five of the team’s six meets and scored a 9.700, or better, in all but one of them. Another consistent performer for the Tribe on vault, senior Jaci Lynn (Copley, OH) scored a 9.675, while junior Kate Magee (McLean, VA) contributed a season and career-high mark of 9.625 to the team total. Waldman scored 9.550, and Long notched a 9.525.

The results were just as good on bars, as the team compiled a score of 48.150 behind junior Brittany Gibbs (West Chester, PA) and Padilla. Gibbs, who has been hampered by an ankle injury since the preseason, showed flashes of the skills that made her a NCAA Regional alternate in 2004 with a season-high mark of 9.825, which was good enough for a fifth-place showing Saturday. Padilla hit on her routine as well, recording a season and career-high 9.775, while Waldman scored a 9.750.

Along with the floor exercise, the Tribe has seen most of its struggles this season on beam. But Saturday, the College showed signs of improvement, as the team counted scores of 9.000 or better from each gymnast for the first time this season. Anchoring the beam, Waldman came through on Saturday with a team-high 9.600. Long was right behind her classmate with a 9.575, while sophomore Jess Randall (West Hartford, CT) added a 9.550 to the team total. Junior Kristen Gaidish (Abington, PA) posted a 9.500, and senior Emma Cross (Ashland, VA) continued to battle back from an ankle injury with a score of 9.350.

Waldman again set the pace for the Tribe on floor, anchoring the event with a score of 9.750. Magee continued her outstanding afternoon with a career-high 9.650, while Gaidish tabbed a season-high 9.625 in the event. Senior co-captain Jess Patterson (Westfield, NJ) added a 9.275, while Long rounded out the team score with a 9.050. The Tribe got another boost on the floor Saturday, as Cross performed her first exhibition of the season after qualifying for the NCAA Regional in the event a year ago.

W&M returns to action on Friday night, as it travels to George Washington for a 7 p.m. event in the nation’s capitol.

Team Scoring
1 North Carolina 195.850
2 Rutgers 192.100
3 William and Mary 191.150

W&M Top Individuals
Vault – Padilla (9.700)
Bars – Gibbs (9.825)
Beam – Waldman (9.600)
Floor – Waldman (9.750)
All-Around – Waldman (38.650)