As a section of nearly 40 children danced and cheered in the stands for their beloved team, the members of the No.13 Penn State women's gymnastics team did not disappoint.

The Nittany Lions posted a team score of 196.325, defeating Rutgers, New Hampshire and Yale in the final regular season meet of the year.

The 1,857 fans in attendance did their part, encouraging the athletes to perform their best.

"It wasn't our biggest crowd of the year, but the fans that were there were really into it and brought plenty of energy," sophomore Katie Perret said.

The energy was evident from the announcement of the lineups.

With four teams competing, the action on the floor was virtually non-stop. Despite the constant level of noise and possible distraction, the Penn State gymnasts showed poise and confidence.

The meet rotations followed standard Olympic order, as the Lions started the night on vault then continued on to un-even bars, beam, and finally, floor exercise.

Penn State gymnasts dominated the evening, securing every individual-event crown.

On vault, freshmen Rosie Smith, Alexandra Brockway and Brandi Personett all scored a 9.825, good enough to tie for first place.

Next on bars, senior Corissa Pirkl took home top honors with a 9.900. Fellow senior Amie Olaes took second with a 9.850.

Senior Stephanie Sullivan gained her eighth beam title of the year with a strong score of 9.900.

Personett scored a 9.925 on floor exercise to take the title. This marked the fifth time this year she has scored a 9.900 or better.

Elizabeth Fittery of Rutgers took first place in the all-around with a score of 38.225. No Penn State gymnasts competed in the all-around.

"We had a few rocky performances, but overall, we were pleased with what we were able to do," Sullivan said. "We still have room for improvement."

Saturday night's meet marked Senior Night for the Lions who have four graduating seniors on their roster. Many of their family and friends were in attendance to see the final regular season home meet for the gymnasts.

At the conclusion of the meet, the four graduating senior gymnasts, Corissa Pirkl, Amie Olaes, Ashley Mehrer and Stephanie Sullivan were recognized for their achievements as athletes and students at Penn State. Members of the Penn State men's gymnastics team were also recognized.

"The seniors have been through a lot and it has been so inspirational to watch them as athletes and as people," Perret said. "Our seniors are absolutely the best leaders I've ever been around."

With the regular season now in the books, the focus turns to the Big Ten championships to be held Saturday here in University Park.

Of the seven teams competing, six are ranked in the top 25 in the country.

With six other teams coming to Rec Hall Saturday, Penn State is expecting a large jump in attendance with fans traveling from all over the country.

"A huge crowd is always a plus, but we know we have what it takes to win no matter how big the crowd," Perret said. "They just give us that extra boost."