TOWSON, Md. – Strong performances on the balance beam and floor exercise secured a win for the Towson University gymnastics team over Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers totaled 193.900, their best ever team total in a season opener, to defeat the Owls who finished with a team score of 187.600.
 
Towson Event Scores
Vault: 48.150
Uneven Bars: 48.200
Balance Beam: 48.875
Floor Exercise: 48.675
 
How it Happened

• Towson opened the meet on vault, totaling 48.150 points. Erin Tucker had an impressive leadoff performance to win the event with a score of 9.750, just shy of her personal-best (9.775). Mary Elle Arduino followed in second-place (9.650). In her collegiate debut, Melissa Temkov earned a 9.625 score to place third overall for the event.
• The Tigers moved to the uneven bars for the second rotation and continued to impress, scoring 48.200. Tyra McKellar earned the event victory with a score of 9.750. Cortni Baker was the runner-up with a personal-best mark of 9.650. A trio of Tigers in Temkov, Noelle Harada and Brittney Ranti tied for third-place with matching scores of 9.600.
• Towson's best performance of the day came on balance beam with a team total of 48.875. Gabriella Yarussi matched her personal-best of 9.900 to win the event. She was followed by Arduino and McKellar who tied for second-place (9.850). In her collegiate debut, Ally Wesoly scored 9.750 to finish fourth.
• The Tigers rounded out the meet on the floor exercise with a score of 48.675, its second-best event total. McKellar won the event with a score of 9.800. Baker followed with a score of 9.775 while Bayleigh Fobes placed third (9.750). Temkov rounded out her first collegiate meet with her best performance of the day, scoring 9.700 that tied for fourth-place.
• Temkov was the Tigers' sole all-around performer, winning the event with a score of 38.450.

Behind the Scores

• Towson's team total of 193.900 is the highest in program history for a season opener. The Tigers' previous highest score for a season opener was 193.325 in 2015.

Up Next

• The Tigers hit the road next week for a tri-meet at Iowa State on Fri, Jan. 13. The meet, which also features Wisconsin-Oshkosh, will begin at 7:30 p.m. (EST).