It was all Iowa in Carver Hawkeye Arena Saturday evening as the 20th-ranked Gymhawks defeated the 19th-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, 197.075-196.525.
Iowa had a multitude of individual season and career-highs as well as a new program team record on bars with a team score of 49.450.
The Gymhawks got off to a slow start on the vault rotation to open the meet, but thanks to first-year Sophie Schriever, who earned a new career-best score of 9.875. The Hawkeyes were only behind the Nittany Lions by 0.125 points.
First-year Stella DePoala made her official collegiate debut on the event, earning a 9.800 to start her career.
The Gymhawks rank 15th in Division I in bars, and such prowess revealed itself on Saturday. First-year Daisy Bowles set the tone, earning a new career-best score of 9.950, one of the highest scores the program has seen all season.
“It felt great and I knew when I stuck the landing that that was one of my best routines,” Bowles said. “I’m so proud of us, and we knew we were capable of this all season long.”
Second-year Aurélie Tran also excelled on bars and recorded a new career all-around best score of 39.550.
“She is just an extraordinary human being and athlete,” Llewellyn said. “Every week she comes in trying to be her very best, even though in competitions she still gets a little anxious, but she is so deserving, and we are so lucky to have her on the team.”
With a massive 0.325 point lead over Penn State going into the third rotation, Iowa looked to increase its lead on the beam event, where the Gymhawks rank 22nd in the DI standings.
Iowa initially struggled to maintain its balance, with many Gymhawks wobbling in their routines. Iowa had five of its six competitors end their performance with stick landings.
“It has been something that we have been working on and from last season to this season, I feel like we have better confidence in the ending of their routines,” Llewellyn said. “We just have to trust in our artistry and practice.”
Without fourth-year Emily Erb for the floor rotation due to an injury she sustained during the Rutgers meet the previous weekend, Iowa made some lineup changes.
Tran opened the scoring for the Gymhawks with a score of 9.900, which tied her career high. The rest of the lineup looked as usual, with third-year Alyse Karenbauer replacing Erb.
Karenbauer has competed as an alternate for the Hawkeyes so far this season, but on Saturday evening, she made her season debut: a performance she won’t forget.
After executing both of her passes with near perfection, Karenbauer was rewarded with a new career high score of 9.925, tying fifth-year JerQuavia Henderson for the meet’s highest score on the floor event.
“It means the world to me, I am grateful for the score but am also happy for just doing it for my team,” Karenbauer said. “It’s incredible tying with Q. I always want to live up to her, and she pushes me every single day in the gym.”
Iowa has a quick turnaround this weekend with a long trip to the West Coast on Friday, February 27, where the Hawkeyes will compete in the Big Four Meet against No. 5 UCLA, No. 21 Ohio State, and No. 25 Maryland. Action starts at 9 p.m. on FS1.
“I think our confidence is climbing and we just need to get to a point where we are happy with how we compete in each and every event,” Llewellyn said.