The University of Maryland gymnastics team had a record-setting night Friday in its home opener to defeat the Colonials 194.550 to 193.850. Despite GW’s team loss, Devin McCalla won the all-around title, her second-straight of the season.

Maryland senior Lisa Mealey scored a career high 39.400 in the all-around, good for second place behind McCalla. She also set a career high on the balance beam with a 9.825. Her teammate Kit Johnson, won the balance beam with a school record-tying 9.950.

McCalla won her second consecutive all-around title by posting a combined score of 39.450, matching last season’s high score. McCalla won the floor exercise with a score of 9.900 and tied for first on the vault with Mealey (9.800). Senior Jessica Mantak took third in the all-around with a combined score of 38.675.

Despite the loss, head coach Margie Foster-Cunningham said she was pleased with the team’s overall performance.

“It’s a very big improvement for us,” she said, adding that the players performed cleaner routines and stuck firmer landings than at last week’s GW Invite, which the Colonials captured. “We fixed a lot of mistakes that we had last week.”
Sophomore Lindsay Parks, who Foster-Cunningham called a key for this team’s success, had a breakout meet competing on beam, vault and floor exercise.

“She had one of her best performances for us, she has emerged as a consistent performer, and she is going to be so important for this team this season.”

Maryland continues to be an imposing cross-town opponent, as the Colonials lost in a dual meet to the Terrapins last February 195.675 to 194.300

The Colonials heads to West Virginia next Saturday for their third meet of the season, a tri-meet against West Virginia, University of Kentucky and UMass.