ITHACA, N.Y. --
Sara Maughan (vault) and
Izzy Herczeg (floor) each won individual events and Cornell placed fourth overall at the 2019 ECAC Gymnastics Championship on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena. The Big Red posted a 193.300 team score in the six-tean neetm with Herczeg setting a school record on floor (9.95) and posting the second perfect 10 scored by a judge in Big Red history.
Herczeg's 9.95 on floor bettered Randi Bisbano and
Samantha Henry, who scored 9.925's. She received a 9.9 and a 10.0 from the two judges, finishing three spots ahead of teammate
Claire Haklik (9.850). Maughan's 9.825 vault was a career high and slotted just ahead of Temple's Jaylene Everett (9.800).
Cornell used a 48.925 on beam in the second rotation to move up to second place, but had to count a ball on bars and floor to finish just off the podium.
The Big Red's leader on beam was
Lyanda Dudley in third (9.875), just .025 out of first. Dudley joined teammate
Kelsy Kurfirst, Brown's Emma Hansen and William & Mary's Madison Dwyer as ECAC Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Kaitlin Green also finished in the top with a seventh place effort with a 9.850.
Evelyn Patient led on bars with a 9.750, good for eighth.
Temple snapped Yale's two-year streak of ECAC titles with a 194.750, finishing ahead of the Bulldogs' 194.400. Penn was third with a 193.925, while Brown (192.225) and William & Mary (192.025) rounded out the field. For Cornell, it was the seventh time i nthe last eight meets that the Big Red surpassed a 193.000 team score.
Cornell will await to see if any of its three contenders,
Donna Webster on vault and Haklik and Herczeg on floor, qualify for the NCAA first round. The rest of the team is expected to qualify for the USAG Collegiate Nationals beginning on April 12 in Bridgeport, Conn.
2019 ECAC Gymnastics Award Winners
Athlete of the year - Monica Servidio (Temple) and Jade Buford (Yale)
Rookie of the year - Ariana Castrence (Temple)
Specialist of the year - India Anderson (Temple)
Scholar athletes - Emma Hansen (Brown), Kelsey Kurfirst (Cornell),
Lyanda Dudley (Cornell), Madison Dwyer (William & Mary)
Assistant Coach - Rachel Inniss (Temple)
Coach of the year- Josh Nilson (Temple)
