Tribe Falls To ECAC-Rival Towson in Senior Night Meet

Stevie Waldman Places First on Bars

03/07/07 11:00PM

Williamsburg - William and Mary women’s gymnastics team went toe-to-toe with the ECAC’s top-ranked squad through two rotations Wednesday on senior night at Kaplan Arena, but Towson was able to pull out the dual-meet victory with a final total of 192.375.

The Tribe recorded a season-high score on vault and used a first-place finish on bars by Stevie Waldman (Downingtown, Pa.) and a pair of top-three finishes by freshman Ali Medeiros (Hudson, Ohio) to post a final tally of 187.600.

Prior to the meet, the program recognized its four seniors in the class of 2007, Christina Padilla (Sterling, Va.), Andrea Dochney (Westmont, N.J.), Janelle Greene (Fairfax, Va.) and Jess Randall (West Hartford, Conn.).

W&M began the night on vault in the first rotation and used a spirited effort to get off to a hot start, posting a season-high team score of 47.850, which also stands as the team’s top total in any event this season. Just a few days after notching a personal season-high in the event at Towson, junior Tricia Long (Humble, Texas) stepped up once again and bested the mark with a 9.525 to jump-start the line-up.

Medeiros followed and kept the momentum going, scoring a solid 9.400. Sophomore Sarah Jacobson (Brecksville, Ohio) continued her recent surge in the event, placing ninth with a mark of 9.550. Jacobson has now scored no lower than 9.500 on vault in the last three meets. Classmate Becca Bacharach (Lancaster, Pa.) also came throug, eclipsing her previous career-high she set just a couple nights ago at Towson with a 9.575 Wednesday night.

Padilla put a fitting end to the event though on senior night, delivering a season-high 9.800 on vault to place third.

The Tribe continued its impressive start in the second rotation on bars, staying within striking distance of the Tigers. With only five gymnasts able to compete in the event, the Tribe had to count one fall, but the entire line-up picked up the slack and put together an encouraging performance. Waldman nailed her routine and captured her first individual title of the season, placing first with a 9.775.

Medeiros also rose to the occasion, hitting her routine to notch a career-best 9.700 and tie for second place. One meet removed from scoring a personal-best 9.825 on bars, Padilla took seventh Wednesday night with a 9.550, while Jacobson followed with a solid 9.450.

Medeiros showed more of her dazzling skills on beam in the third rotation in just her second meet back in the event line-up, placing second with a 9.700. Last weekend at Towson, she recorded a career-high 9.775, and the freshman scored a 9.650 the only other time she competed beam back in the season-opening event on Jan. 14.

Dochney was another bright spot for the Tribe on beam, continuing her resurgence in the event with a 9.450. But, the third rotation was where Towson began to pull away, as W&M would have to count a couple falls on beam. In the third rotation, Towson took the top four spots on floor and carried a full three-point cushion in the final rotation.

W&M’s struggles on floor continued with a number of falls, though the squad got a boost from Randall who scored a 9.350, as she continues to progress from a preseason wrist injury. Long, who finished second in the all-around with a total of 37.175, led the team on floor with a 9.525 to place fifth, followed by Randall.

Alise McDonald was the top finisher on vault for Towson with a first-place score of 9.850, while Cristina Lindo (9.725) and Jackie Schweitzer (9.750) took home the beam and floor titles, respectively, for the Tigers. Sweitzer was also the top all-arounder, finishing with a total of 37.800.

Complete Results (.html)