This past week, Penn State women's gymnastics senior co-captain Leslie Bair posted a quote on the door to the Nittany Lions' practice facility: "Those who want to be successful will find a way ... those who don't, will find an excuse."
The No. 20 Penn State women's gymnastics team (5-4) is finding the way to be successful as visiting Pittsburgh (1-5) fell victim to the Lions' furious roar Saturday night in a season-high 195.425 to 193.850 declawing of the intrastate rival Panthers.
"It is extremely true because you are responsible for what you do and nobody else is," Bair said of her quote. "If you are going to find a way then you are going to find a way, nobody else can help you and you can't blame it on other stuff."
The Lions found the way by having a phenomenal night, paced by seniors Katie Rowland, Katie McAvoy and Nikki Bongiovanni.
Rowland, who was this past week's Big Ten gymnast of the week, claimed the all-around title with an impressive 39.100.
"Breaking 39 in the all-around with a fall on beam is really, really impressive," Penn State women's gymnastics assistant coach Jessica Bastardi said.
McAvoy finished second in the all-around with a 38.875, while Bongiovanni placed third (38.850) and earned the Ann Carr award.
"I think overall she had a great meet and winning the Ann Carr award has got to make her happy," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said.
Not only did it make Bongiovanni happy, it made her parents happy too.
"This is very special," said Nikki's mother, Eileene Bongiovanni, with tears of joy streaming down her face. "She has been through so much adversity, a lot of injuries, and it is just wonderful to see her out there doing so well."
The Lions began the night on vault. McAvoy earned second place (9.825) before Rowland took center stage.
Rowland sped down the runway, resembling a streamlined F-16 fighter jet, before propelling herself off the vault and maneuvering through the air like the multi-role fighter aircraft. She stuck the landing and secured the event title with a 9.900.
Penn State then moved to its strongest performance of the night, the uneven bars. Bair, recovering from an early-season knee injury, returned to the event for the first time this season.
"I was really excited and I was kind of nervous," Bair said.
Penn State took the top five spots in the event with McAvoy capturing the title with a 9.850. Bair put together a career-high-tying routine and stuck the landing that tied her with Rowland's season-high 9.825 for second place.
The daunting beam was next.
"Beam is like putting in golf," Shephard said. "You drive for show and you putt for dough. With beam, you got to be calm and you got to know everything is on the line and you got no margin for error and you still have to be able to do it under pressure."
Bair, Rowland and McAvoy suffered falls while freshman Meredith Hoover and sophmore Kate Stopper both earned a 9.800.
"Meredith nailed her beam routine, it was beautiful," Penn State women's gymnastics assistant coach William Lorenz said.
With the beam performances not up to full power, Bongiovanni took center stage and put together a masterpiece on the eve of her birthday.
"It was really great," Bongiovanni said. "I am turning 23 tomorrow and I am happy to still be out here and able to still do it and have fun."
As she artistically maneuvered on the beam, it resembled an artist painting a flawless picture that ended up with her sticking the landing and securing the event title with a career-high-tying 9.925.
"You could have given her a 10.0 on beam, it was perfect, beautiful," Shephard said.
Penn State ended the meet with Rowland capturing the floor title with a 9.950 and Hoover placing second with a 9.875.
