TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University gymnastics team earned a season high team score of 195.675 to defeat Rutgers University in a dual meet on Friday night in SECU Arena. The Tigers won or shared the individual event titles on four of the five events.
 
Towson's total of 195.675 was its highest since recording 196.525 at George Washington on March 22, 2015. It is the highest team total for the Tigers inside SECU Arena and ranks eighth on the program's all-time top team scores list.
 
The Tigers recorded three 9.900 or higher scores at the meet as Mary Elle Arduino matched her season high (9.900) on balance beam, while Tyra McKellar (9.925) and Gabriella Yarussi (9.900) set career highs on floor exercise.
 
Event Scores
Vault: 48.725
Uneven Bars: 48.750
Balance Beam: 48.925
Floor Exercise: 49.275 (season high)
 
How it Happened

• Towson opened the meet on vault, scoring 48.725. Erin Tucker tied as the event runner-up after matching her career high of 9.825. Gabriella Yarussi finished fourth with a career high 9.800. Mary Elle Arduino and Tyra McKellar tied for eighth-place with matching scores of 9.725. That score was a career high for Arduino on vault.
• The Tigers moved to uneven bars for their second rotation, totaling 48.750 points. Noelle Harada tied for the first-place finish with a season-high score of 9.800. A trio of Tigers in Tyra McKellar, Brittney Ranti and Mary Elle Arduino tied for fourth-place with matching 9.750 scores. That score was a career high for Arduino.
• Towson competed on balance beam in the third rotation, scoring 48.925. Mary Elle Arduino tied for first-place with a score of 9.900, which matches her season-best. Gabriella Yarussi finished third on beam with a score of 9.850. Tyra McKellar tied for sixth (9.775), followed by Bayleigh Fobes in eighth-place (9.750) and Erin Tucker in ninth-place (9.650). Tucker's performance on balance beam was a career-debut for the sophomore.
• The Tigers set a season high of 49.275 on floor exercise in the final rotation. Tyra McKellar set a career high 9.925 to win the event, followed by Gabriella Yarussi who tied for the second-place spot with a career high 9.900. Cortni Baker had a season high 9.850 to tie for fifth-place with teammate Erin Tucker. Tucker's score of 9.850 was a career high. Noelle Harada finished eighth (9.750) and Bayleigh Fobes placed ninth (9.700).
• Gabriella Yarussi won the all-around with a score of 39.225 while Tyra McKellar finished second (39.175).

 
Behind the Scores

• Towson's team total of 195.675 ranks eighth on the program's all-time top scores list. It is also the Tigers' highest score since posting 196.525 at George Washington on March 22, 2015.
• Towson recorded its highest team total inside SECU Arena. The Tigers began calling SECU Arena home in 2014 after moving into the new facility from the Towson Center.
• The Tigers posted three 9.900 or higher scores in the meet. Mary Elle Arduino matched her season high of 9.900 on balance beam, while Gabriella Yarussi set a career high of 9.900 on floor exercise. Tyra McKellar posted a career high of 9.925 on floor exercise.
• Tyra McKellar is the first gymnast since Aysia Sharif to post a 9.925 on floor exercise. Sharif did so at the 2016 East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championships. McKellar is one of 11 Tigers all-time who have recorded a 9.925 or higher on floor exercise. Only four Tigers in program history have scored higher than a 9.925.
• Gabriella Yarussi joins a select list of Tigers who have scored a 9.900 or higher on floor exercise. She is one of 13 Tigers in program history to have done so.

 
Up Next
Towson travels to EAGL rival Pitt on Friday, March 3 for a 6:30 p.m. quad meet. The meet will also feature Michigan State and West Virginia.