Despite the number of changes the Lady Lions made for the 1994 season -- including seven new team members and a restructured coaching staff -- they could not change their fortunes against the Georgia Lady Bulldogs, who defeated the Lady Lions last night for the third time in the past two seasons, this time by a 192.125-190.375 score.

In a hotly-contested battle witnessed by a Rec Hall crowd of 2,781, the Lady Gym 'Dawgs outpointed the Lady Lions -- newly clad in blue-and-white velour-like uniforms -- by close scores in the uneven bars and balance beam and by a comfortable margin in the vault. While the Lady Lions beat the defending national champion Lady 'Dawgs in the floor exercise.

But despite the loss, Lady Lion Coach Steve Shephard was pleased with his team's effort in its season-opener.

"As a first meet I'm very pleased," the second-year head coach said, adding that "the most important thing we can do (in a season-opening meet) is to stay healthy."

Shephard was also pleased with the return of junior Tracy Kerner, who was making her first competitive appearance with the Lions since a severe knee injury cost her the entire 1993 season.

Immediately following her dismount on her first event of the night -- the uneven bars -- Kerner celebrated with a celebration dance that prompted cheers and hugs from her teammates.

"I feel great," Kerner said shortly after the meet, adding, "I'm doing it out there for the team. All I could think of (for the past year) was to get back in front of the home crowd."

Another junior who stepped up last night was Kerner's friend, roommate and fellow nutrition-major Kerry Slattery, who was pleased and shocked with her third-place showing in the all-around.

"I couldn't really believe I was third," the Mendham, N.J. native happily said. "(And) I think the team did great. We still have to work, but overall we couldn't have asked for more."

April Polito -- the Lady Lions' most-decorated gymnast -- started her senior season off on the right foot with a team-leading overall score of 38.650. Like Slattery and Kerner, she was pleased with her -- and her team's -- performance.

"I'm very pleased," the Lady Lion's co-captain said. "We just wanted to build confidence."

The defending national champion Lady 'Dawgs were paced by five-foot freshman phenom Leslie Angeles -- last night's all-around winner -- and fellow classmate Leah Brown, who scored a perfect 10.00 in her first-ever collegiate vault routine. No doubt, their performances sounded a warning call to the rest of college gymnastics that the Lady 'Dawgs will have no trouble replacing their three graduation losses from last season's record-setting squad.

As for the Lady Lions, last night's hard-fought battle against the powerful Lady 'Dawgs sends a warning call to the women's gymnastics teams at Minnesota, West Virginia and New Hampshire -- the Lady Lion's opponents in Saturday's quad-meet at Rec Hall.