Scarlet Knights edge out JMU in first home meet

DiFilippo sets record with 9.9 on uneven bars

Natasha Laptik / staff photographer JMU lost to Rutgers Saturday in its first home meet.

JMU, on a record-setting day, was edged out, 192.375-191.35, by Rutgers University Saturday in the Dukes' first home gymnastics meet of the season.

Senior Nicole DiFilippo set a new JMU record as she placed first on the uneven bars with a score of 9.9.

"I did a new skill [on the uneven bars] for this meet for the first time this season, so I was really nervous about that," DiFilippo said. "And my teammates built me up, and I was really pumped. So, I just went from beginning to end and did the best I could. This was one of my best meets."

As well as placing first on the uneven bars, DiFilippo placed first on the floor exercise and second on the balance beam.

DiFilippo said she is proud of what her and the team have accomplished so far in this young season. The Dukes are ahead of the pace they set at this point last season, and JMU is witnessing solid performances across the board.

On the vault, finishing fourth overall and first on the JMU squad was junior captain Amanda Beltz.

"Our team did awesome," Beltz said. "We were so excited to be at home in front of our crowd and everything. Everyone performed spectacularly; we really shined."

With a solid performance in the all-around, senior Erin Fitzgerald posted a score of 38.275 and took second place.

The Dukes welcomed back senior Nicole Bascope for her second meet this season since returning from an injury that occurred in the beginning of her sophomore year. She competed on the vault and floor.

This past week, some of the Dukes have been working on increasing the difficulty of their routines as the competition will continue to build and get more competitive as the season progresses. "Everything will begin to polish up, and we will be in good shape," Coach Roger Burke said.

Beltz added, "We don't all quite have our difficulty level there yet — it's so early in the season. So, we all need to get a couple of more things in there."

The Dukes will travel to College Park, Md., next weekend to compete against the University of Maryland Terrapins. Their next home meet will be in two weeks when they host rival the College of William & Mary.