Tribe Continues to Improve, Scores Season-High at Cat Classic

W&M Records Season-Highs in Two Events, Long Places Third in All-Around

02/23/07 11:00PM

Columbia, Mo. - The William and Mary women’s gymnastics team continued its midseason resurgence, recording a season-high total score of 187.700 in the competitive Callaway Bank Cat Classic Friday night in Columbia, Mo. The 17th-ranked and host Missouri Tigers claimed the title in the team competition with a season-high score of 196.075, followed by Eastern Michigan (191.775), Bowling Green (190.650) and the Tribe.

The top-10 finishers in each event return tonight to compete in the individual finals.

With several of the team’s key performers rounding into form after a rash of injuries hit early in the year, W&M con-tinues to move on from the slow start and improve against national-level competition, using a season-high score on vault (47.400) and a season-high tying tally on bars (47.425) to add over a full point to the team’s previous season-high.

Stevie Waldman (Downingtown, Pa.) is one of the Tribe gymnasts working back from an early season injury, and the USAG All-American posted her best effort of the season on bars with a 9.775, highlighting an overall strong effort in the event. Waldman’s score earned her a fifth place showing in the event, and a spot in the individual finals Saturday night.

W&M also received season-high scores on bars from freshman Ali Medeiros (Hudson, Ohio) and junior Tricia Long (Humble, Texas), as the duo each recorded a 9.650. Medeiros’ tally also stands as a career-mark for the rookie, while Long’s score was just off her career-high (9.675) as well.

Senior Christina Padilla (Sterling, Va.) placed seventh on vault to highlight the squad’s performance in the event, notching a season-high 9.750 to continue her standout season. A former conference champion on vault, Padilla has been the team’s most consistent scorer in the event this season, and she will represent the Tribe in the individual finals Saturday night.

Medeiros added a season-high 9.525 on vault, and sophomore Sarah Jacobson (Brecksville, Ohio) stepped up with a 9.500, just shy of a career-high. Long was also her usual solid self in the event, posting a 9.475. Sophomore Megan Vincent (Newport News, Va.) rounded out the team’s season-high total with a 9.150.

On beam, the Tribe still had to count a couple falls, but it didn’t diminish a number of fantastic individual efforts in the event. Long has been the team’s most consistent gymnast on beam and Friday night was no different, as she led the squad with a 9.650, just missing out on the individual finals in 11th place.

Freshman Stephanie Bevan (Bridgewater, N.J.) matched her season-high on beam with a 9.575, and senior Andrea Dochney (Westmont, N.J.) also enjoyed her best outing of the season with a 9.550 as she also continues to work back from an early season injury.

Becca Bacharach (Lancaster, Pa.) once again came through on floor to lead the team in the event with a 9.500, as the sophomore continues to emerge as one of the team’s top performers in her second season. Bevan continued the youth movement on floor, as the rookie notched a 9.450. Long was third for the team with a 9.175, as W&M also had to count a number of slips on floor. Long finished with a solid all-around mark of 37.950 to tie for third place.

Complete Results (.html)

Final Score: Missouri 196.075, Eastern Michigan 191.775, Bowling Green 190.650, W&M 187.700

William and Mary Team Scoring
Vault: 47.400
Bars: 47.425
Beam: 46.750
Floor: 46.125
Total: 187.700

Top W&M Individuals
Vault: Christina Padilla (9.750)
Bars: Stevie Waldman (9.775)
Beam: Tricia Long (9.650)
Floor: Becca Bacharach (9.500)
All-Around: Tricia Long (37.950)