TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's gymnastics team returns home on Friday for its annual pink meet where it will host Rutgers and EAGL rival George Washington inside SECU Arena beginning at 7 p.m.
 
The Tigers will be looking to capitalize off last week's meet in which they totaled a season-high 48.875 on bars and totaled their third-highest score of the season en route to finishing second with 194.950 points, just 0.350 behind host Rutgers.
 
Junior Mary Elle Arduino was one of three Tigers who either tied or posted a new career high. Arduino totaled a career-high 9.775 to finish sixth on bars while junior Cortni Baker and senior Gabriella Yarussi finished first and second on vault as both tied their career highs. Baker was first with a 9.850 while Yarussi was second with a 9.825.
 
George Washington enters the meet ranked at No. 19 by roadtonationals.com while Towson is at No. 46 and Rutgers is at No. 51.
 
The Colonials, who have finished first in five out of eight meets this season, are ranked ninth on vault, 15th on beam, 18th on floor and 35th on bars. Their highest team score came on February 4 when they totaled 196.525 points to finish first in a meet with Kent State, UW-Oshkosh and William & Mary.
 
Coming off last week's narrow win over Towson in which they tied a season-high with 194.800 points, the Scarlet Knights are ranked 41st on beam, 48th on floor, 50th on vault and 58th on bars.
 
The Tigers are ranked 34th on beam, 42nd on bars, 49th on floor and 52 on vault. They finished tied with Rutgers on vault last week with identical 48.750 scores while finishing second behind the Scarlet Knights on beam and floor.
 
Senior Tyra McKellar leads the team on vault this season with a 9.775 average while freshman Kyla Gamble is second at 9.715 and Baker is third at 9.691.
 
Freshman Tess Zientek is Towson's top performer on bars with a 9.742 average, followed closely by Gamble with a 9.740 and McKellar with a 9.693.
 
Yarussi has the team's best average on beam with a 9.782, just ahead of Arduino at 9.750 and McKellar at 9.719.
 
McKellar leads a very talent group of gymnasts on floor where five Tigers are averaging a 9.719 or higher. McKellar is at 9.785 while Yarussi and Baker are tied at 9.750. Sophomore Melissa Temkov is fourth at 9.741 while senior Lauren Cahalan rounds at the top 5 at 9.719.
 
McKellar is also the team's top all-around performer at 39.056 while Arduino is second at 38.725.
 
Following Friday's meet, Towson will travel to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for a rematch with Rutgers and George Washington while the trio will welcome Maryland.