MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Facing No. 25 West Virginia University and George Washington University in the WVU Coliseum, the Tigers suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday afternoon as the Mountaineers and the Colonials both outscored the Tigers.

Now 6-2 on the season, the Tigers earned a 190.875 team score. West Virginia posted a 195.575 score to win the tri-meet while George Washington was second with a 193.125 team score.

“The result was disappointing but this was a great experience for our team,” said Towson Coach Vicki Chliszczyk. “We made some mistakes and they really cost us. However, we need to compete in these kinds of meets if we are going to get better. We competed in a 14,000-seat coliseum and I was pleased that our team was not intimidated by the atmosphere.”

The Tigers, who started the competition on balance beam, earned a 47.125 team score on beam. The Tigers had two beam falls and counted one of them. Freshman Janis Konkle had the Tigers' top score on balance beam with a career high 9.625 while senior Kacy Catanzaro earned a 9.60 score.

On floor exercise, the Tigers only competed five gymnasts due to junior Britney Russell's back injury. As a result, they had just a 47.425 score on floor since the Tigers had to count a fall by Catanzaro. Senior Avis Hixon was the Tigers' top performer on floor as she tied for fourth place with a 9.775 score. Senior Lindsay Poplaski took ninth place with a 9.65 score.

“I think we lost some swagger after floor exercise,” said Chliszczyk. “We had made some mistakes and we were very disappointed.”

The Tigers bounced back to earn a 48.40 score on vault. Poplaski led the Tigers with a 9.75 score as she tied for sixth place while Catanzaro tied for eighth with a 9.725 score.

Finishing their competition on bars, the Tigers had a 47.925 score. Catanzaro, who won the bars competition in the first two meets of the season, led the Tigers with a 9.675 score, good for fifth place. Freshman Samantha Lutz and sophomore Allison Antenucci aided the Tigers' cause by tying for sixth place on bars with 9.65 scores.

Sophomore Hope Sloanhoffer led West Virginia to its first place finish by winning the all-around competition with a 39.20 score. She also finished first on vault and second on bars. Poplaski was fifth in the all-around with a 38.45 score.

“Lindsay had another excellent meet for us,” said Chliszczyk. “She has been very steady for us this year.

“There were some positives about this meet for us,” she added. “As this program grows, we need to have more meets like this in larger arenas. That is how we can get better.”

The Tigers return to action at Bridgeport on Friday night.           

COLLEGE GYMNASTICS:  1. West Virginia 195.775;  2. George Washington 19.125;  3. Towson 190.875.

VAULT:  1. Alaska Richardson (WVU), 9.875;  Hope Sloanhoffer (WVU), 9.875; 3. Chelsea Goldschrafe (WVU), 9.825; T6. Lindsay Poplaski (TOW), 9.725; T8. Kacy Catanzaro (TOW), 9.725.

BARS:  1. Nicole Roach (WVU), 9.825;  2. Hope Sloanhoffer (WVU), 9.800; 3. Kaylyn Mallick (WVU), 9.775; 5. Kacy Catanzaro (TOW), 9.675; T6. Samantha Lutz (TOW), 9.65;  Allison Antenucci (TOW), 9.65.

BEAM:  1. Nicole Roach (WVU), 9.85; Kaylyn Millick (WVU), 9.85; 3. Chelsea Goldschrafe (WVU), 9.80; Monique Blount (WVU), 9.80; 10. Janis Konkle (TOW), 9.625; 11. Kacy Catanzaro (TOW), 9.60.

FLOOR:  1. Alaska Richardson (WVU), 9.875;  2. Kaylyn Millick (WVU), 9.825; Chelsea Goldschrafe (WVU), 9.825; T4. Avis Hixon (TOW), 9.775;  9. Lindsay Poplaski (TOW), 9.65. 

ALL-AROUND:  1. Hope Sloanhoffer (WVU), 39.20; 2. Tina Mahoney (WVU), 38.675; 3. Stephanie Stoicovy (GW), 38.55; 5. Lindsay Poplaski (TOW), 38.45.

– TowsonTigers.com –