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 [ Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 ] Lions set for home opener
Women's Gymnastics
By Dan Graybill
Collegian Staff Writer
It might be easier for the Penn State women's gymnastics team to sleep tonight knowing that it is at home for the next meet. And the teams it's facing aren't ranked in the top 5 in the latest national polls. Penn State opens at home tomorrow night in Rec Hall against Pittsburgh and No. 18 Illinois. After finishing fifth last weekend in the Super Six Challenge, the Nittany Lions will change little as far as personnel. | ||||
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There is at least one spot open in each of the events, but who gets those spots will be determined by how well each athlete performs during practice. It is meant to serve as a simulation for an actual meet. "We are fortunate with our depth this year, we have five kids fighting for one spot," Penn State coach Steve Shephard said. "We are looking for consistency." During practice the team goes through a warm-up and then moves on to the various apparatuses to try and perfect the routines it will perform at the coming meet. Because there are some spots open, practice serves as an audition because Shephard said that a spot is not guaranteed. |
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PHOTO: Collegian File Photo
Meredith Hoover performs on the beam during the 2004 NCAA Northeast Regional Women's Gymnastics Championships.
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Regardless of who is competing for the Lions, the goal remains the same: to stick landings and do what is done in practice. "We are looking to perfect what we have," Shephard said. Things looked to be going well yesterday afternoon. Landings were stuck, routines were polished and if anything went wrong Shephard and assistants Jessica Bastardi and Aladine Naamou were on the spot making adjustments. Pittsburgh defeated Penn State last season, for the first time in 20 years, and the Panthers have yet to compete this season. Last season Pitt finished with a school-record 17 wins. Illinois, like Penn State, got started last weekend. The Illini defeated Central Michigan and Illinois State -- not quite national powers Georgia and Florida, but wins nonetheless. Senior Lauren Newcomb took the vault title and tied for first in the all-around to pace the Illini, who are making the first appearance of the season in the GymInfo Women's Top 25 poll. "[We] are confident being at home. Last week we just had some nervous mistakes," Shephard said. "[The team doesn't] have to travel and we have our home equipment and crowd." | ||||
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Updated: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 12:42:34 PM -4
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