Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Springfield College
Gymnastics Romps In Springfield Win
February 16, 2014 | Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 16, 2014
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore Jesse Glen shattered his school all-around mark and had a hand in three firsts in sparking thirteen-ranked Army to a season-best 426.35 in its win over No. 15 Springfield (418.6) in a college gymnastics meet Sunday afternoon.
The Black Knights (1-3) scored season-bests on pommel horse (70.45), still rings (71.9) and high bar (71.3), along with posting their second highest score on floor exercise (72.15).
Heading into the weekend ranked sixth nationally in all-around, Glenn scored an 88.45 to crush his former career mark (85.95) set last year in winning the title at the West Point Open. Heading into this week, the top all-around scores in the country were a 90.1 recorded by No. 3 Stanford's Modi Akash and an 88.9 posted by No. 8 California's Bailey Donovan.
Glenn set career marks on pommel horse (14.7) and still rings (14.85) earning runner-up honors, and tied his school mark on high bar (ranked No. 4) with a winning score of 15.3. The native of Porter Ranch, Calif., was also first on floor exercise (14.85) and tied with teammate Sam Kusnitz for top honors on vault (14.7). Kusnitz tied his personal-best set three weeks ago at the All-Academy Championships.
Army swept the top four places on floor exercise with Ian Howard (who set a career high), Kip Webber and Leo Genders posting 14.4s sharing runner-up honors behind Glenn. Connor Venrickchipped in with a 14.4 on pommel horse, his second highest score of the season, and Webber was third on still rings with a 14.6.
Genders posted a 14.45 on vault, Chris Shortearned a 14.1 on parallel bars and Kusnitz took second on high bar behind a personal-best 14.5.
Army won four of the six team event titles claiming floor exercise, still rings, vault (72.05) and high bar, with The Pride edging the Black Knights on pommel horse (71.95-70.45) and parallel bars (68.75-68.5).
"It was a great win as our hitting percentage in our last three meets is getting better, stronger and cleaner," said Army head coach Doug Van Everen. "Our team is better than our record indicates and it is frustrating when it doesn't work out, but we seemed to have turned the corner and it could not have come at a better time with the postseason coming up shortly."
Army will be idle next weekend as it prepares for its regular-season home finale hosting ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) defending champion Temple on Friday, Feb. 28, and conference rival William & Mary Sunday, March 2, on Senior Day. The Tribe is ranked first (417.133) in the ECAC followed by the Black Knights. (414.483).
Players Mentioned
