COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Towson University gymnastics team began its 2015 season Friday evening by scoring 193.325 to defeat Kent State (192.400) but ultimately fall to host Missouri (193.900) in the Hearnes Center.
 
"This was a fantastic start to the season," Head Coach Vicki Chliszczyk said. "We set goals each meet and one of our goals was to not count a fall. We did that tonight. There's certainly room for improvement but to start off the season and not count a fall will do wonders for our confidence.
 
"We have to give props to the leadership of the upperclassmen but we are really proud of our freshmen," Chliszczyk continued. "Our freshmen consisted of 10 of our 24 routines tonight and that's huge."
 
Towson opened the night on the uneven bars where freshman Tyra McKellar had a strong start in her first collegiate meet, scoring 9.775 to lead the Tiger effort. Junior Vicki Vesecky finished right behind McKellar with a score of 9.700. Junior Lydia Thompson posted a score of 9.675 while freshman Noelle Harada was given a 9.650. Towson finished with a team score of 48.325 on bars.
 
The second rotation saw the Tigers' strongest performance of the night as the team finished with a score of 48.450 on the balance beam. McKellar continued her hot start to the evening on beam as she posted another 9.775. Senior Janis Konkle and sophomore Bridget Steffan followed with identical scores of 9.700. Senior Lauren Ross was given a 9.650 while freshman Lauren Cahalan was awarded 9.625 as she made her collegiate debut on beam.  
 
With the floor routine next, the team finished the event with a score of 48.350. Junior Katie Sassa came out strong with a team-high score of 9.750. Harada (9.725) and McKellar (9.700) rounded out the Tiger top-three scores on floor.
 
Towson's fourth and final event of the night was vault, where the team scored 48.200 to secure the second-place finish. Sassa was awarded a 9.850 on the vault, the highest score a Towson gymnast would receive in any event for the meet. Senior Nicolette Vignola recorded a career-high 9.700 in the event while the rest of the Tiger scores hovered around the same mark.
 
McKellar finished with an all-around score of 38.875 but it was not enough to overcome Missouri's Shauna Miller (39.325).
 
Towson will travel next to William & Mary on Saturday, Jan. 17 to compete in a dual-meet at 4 p.m. The Tigers will return home to host West Chester, William & Mary and UNC on Sunday, Jan. 25 in their home-opener.


-TowsonTigers.com-