After undefeated in-conference regular season, gymnastics takes third at EAGL meet

Throughout his team's many milestone achievements this season, Terrapin gymnastics coach Brett Nelligan has kept his squad focused on one thing: a bulletin board.

In December, Nelligan asked his 15 gymnasts to jot down a list of team goals for the upcoming season. The team decided on 10 objectives, which were bulleted on a board inside their practice facility.

After romping through conference play with an undefeated record for the first time in program history, the No. 28 Terps (17-5, 8-0) had scratched off five of those goals.

Last Saturday, the Terps traveled to George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center to attempt to capture one more of those goals: their first-ever EAGL title.

But for a team accustomed to overcoming expectations, the result wasn't ideal.

The Terps placed third at the eight-team meet with an overall score of 195.025 — less than three-tenths of a point behind fifth-seeded North Carolina, which won the meet with a 195.300 score. Fourth-seeded New Hampshire finished second at 195.175.

"Our girls were heartbroken with how things ended up," Nelligan said. "But honestly, I felt like that was a good thing. It shows that they're not willing to settle for second best, which really fits with how they've been all year."

The Terps opened the meet on vault, their highest scoring event of the season. Led by sophomore Ally Krikorian's meet-best 9.900 vault, Nelligan's squad jumped to an early lead over the rival Tar Heels, 49.125-48.700.

"For the first time this season, I was a little nervous heading into my run. I really wanted to do well for the seniors," said Krikorian, who won vault despite finishing the regular season ranked seventh in the EAGL on the event. "But when I landed, I just felt good. I knew I'd hit it."

The Terps lost their hold on first place when they experienced uncharacteristic mistakes on uneven bars. Sophomore Kesley Cofsky, who'd been averaging a 9.604 on the event, fell and earned an 8.875.

Although three Terp gymnasts posted scores of 9.750 or better, they finished the rotation down two-tenths of a point to first-place New Hampshire.

Senior Abigail Adams helped get the Terps back on track during the third rotation with a meet-best 9.925 balance-beam routine. The new career high triggered five straight scores of 9.600 or better.

Still, the Terps were forced into their familiar underdog role as they approached the floor exercise. With less than five-tenths of a point separating them from the first-place Wildcats, the Terps earned six straight scores of 9.675 or better.

But New Hampshire and North Carolina — two squads the Terps beat during the regular season — shut the door on the team's title hopes. With final-rotation totals of 48.650 and 49.000, respectively, the Wildcats and Tar Heels left Nelligan's squad searching for answers.

"It goes to show you that anything can happen in this league," Nelligan said. "Our biggest competition heading into EAGLs was supposed to be N.C. State and West Virginia, and they ended up placing way behind us."

Despite the narrow defeat, the Terps didn't leave George Washington empty-handed.

Adams won her second-straight EAGL All-Around title with a score of 39.400, the latest honor on a growing list of accolades for the Terps' three-time team MVP. Adams hasn't scored lower than a 9.700 since a home quad meet on Feb. 27. During that monthlong period, she's grabbed three all-around titles and two EAGL Gymnast of the Week honors.

"Around our seventh meet of the season, ‘it' hit me all of a sudden," Adams said. "I can specifically remember walking into practice and feeling completely ready to lead this team. I made the choice to embrace that feeling, and I think it's really paid off."

With Adams leading the charge, the Terps will travel to the University of Georgia Saturday to compete at the Southeast Regional as a No. 5 seed. The top two squads from the six-team pool will move on to the NCAA Championships in Cleveland.

And with several goals still waiting to be checked off that bulletin board, the Terps aren't about to feel intimidated by the nationally lauded rosters they'll face in Athens, Ga.

"We want to make a statement," Krikorian said. "And there's no better way to do that than by going up against the best."

TERP NOTE: Three Terrapin gymnasts made the All-EAGL first teams, the conference announced last Friday at its annual awards banquet. Adams was named to the all-around and balance beam first teams, while Dodds and Krikorian earned first-team honors on vault. The Terps also placed five gymnasts on the All-EAGL second teams: Kyra Phillips (vault), Adams (bars and floor), Jennifer Iovino (beam) and Kesley Cofsky (all-around).

letourneau@umdbk.com