ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cortland women's gymnastics team broke the school scoring record for the second straight meet as the Red Dragons defeated host Ithaca, 192.075-191.80, in a dual meet held in conjunction with the Cortland-Ithaca wrestling match at Ithaca's Rumble and Tumble event.
 
Cortland broke the previous school record of 191.95 points set just three days earlier at the Empire State Collegiate Championship. Cortland's team vault score of 48.525 is the third best in school history and just shy of the school record 48.625 set in 2017.
 
Samantha Meadows (Cypress, TX/Texas Connections Academy) tied her own school record on balance beam with her winning score of 9.85. She set the record initially at the Empire meet Sunday. Meadows also won vault with a career-high 9.775 and tied for fifth on floor exercise with a 9.70.
 
Tayah Graham (Syracuse/LIverpool) set season/career highs with her second place finish on vault (9.75) and fourth place effort on beam (9.725). Gianna Mirigliano (Springfield, PA) turned in three top-five finishes. She tied for second on beam with season-high 9.75, which ties her career best in the event. She also tied for third on vault (9.70) and tied for fifth on floor exercise (9.70).
 
Tessa Sutton (Fairport/The Ogburn School) tied for second on beam (9.75) and tied for fifth on vault (9.65). Autumn Adkins (Aledo, TX) placed third on uneven bars with a season-high 9.70 and tied for third on floor with a 9.725. Kiana Wong (Elk Grove, CA/Pleasant Grove) finished fifth on bars with a career-best 9.625, Kyleigh Brown (Tunkhannock, PA/Commonwealth Charter Academy) tied for fifth on vault with a season-high 9.65, and Rianna Adams (South Setauket/Ward Melville) posted a season-high 9.525 on uneven bars to finish sixth.
 
Cortland held a slim 96.075-95.55 lead after two rotations with its 48.525 on vault and 47.55 on bars, both season highs. In the third rotation, Cortland scored a 47.80 on floor and Ithaca posted a 47.675 on beam and the Red Dragons led 143.875-143.225 entering the final rotation. Ithaca finished the night with a 48.475 on floor, but Cortland countered with a 48.20 on beam to set the school record and hold on for the victory.
 
Cortland travels to Rhode Island College on Saturday for a tri-meet with the host school and Springfield College.

Coach's Corner - Comments from Cortland Head Coach Sulekha Modi Zaug:

This is the hardest week of the year for the team, competing three times in 7 days… the toll it takes mentally and physically on our athletes is so intense. To become Cortland Gymnastics' highest scoring team twice in a row is such an honor and I also achieved a personal goal that I made when I started coaching which was to have an all twisting vault lineup. We achieved that today for the first time in program history as well and nearly broke the vault record. We are riding this great wave right now and hoping to stay consistent through the rest of regular season. The team is fired up and excited to continue working on perfecting their skills. It's a very exciting time for us!
 
Cortland 192.075, Ithaca 191.70

(Top 4)

Vault:  1) Samantha Meadows (CORT) 9.775, 2) Tayah Graham (CORT) 9.75, T3) Gianna Mirigliano (CORT) 9.70, T3) Grace Murray (ITH) 9.70
 
Uneven Bars: 1) Mya John (ITH) 9.80, 2) Lauren Babineaux (ITH) 9.725, 3) Autumn Adkins (CORT) 9.70, 4) Nicole Lonski (ITH) 9.65
 
Balance Beam: 1) Samantha Meadows (CORT) 9.85, T2) Gianna Mirigliano (CORT) 9.75, T2) Tessa Sutton (CORT) 9.75, 4) Tayah Graham (CORT) 9.725
 
Floor Exercise: 1) Corey Foster (ITH) 9.825, 2) Grace Murray (ITH) 9.775, T3) Autumn Adkins (CORT) 9.725, T3) Abby Chesshire (ITH) 9.725

All-Around: (no all-around competitors)