PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania gymnastics team fought back in front of a packed house in Rockwell Gymnasium, but fell just short to the visiting Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, 192.700-192.200. Penn took home two individual titles in front of its home crowd, and improved its overall score for the second-straight meet. 

VAULT
The Quakers notched a new season-high on vault with a 48.025, posting solid results throughout the lineup. Freshman Rose Hoffman started things off with a 9.425, followed by a 9.550 from fellow rookie Darby Nelson. Junior Valerie Rube ignited the crowd and her teammates in just her second career competitive performance, landing a layout half for a 9.725. Jordyn Mannino followed that up with a 9.675, while senior Ally Podsednik rounded out the counted scores with a 9.650. After the first rotation with SEMO on beam, the two squads were knotted even at 48.025.

BARS
The second rotation proved to be a costly one for Penn, as the Quakers saw several promising routines cut short after falls. The Quakers rounded things out on a high note, as sophomore Caroline Mitsch stepped up in the five spot and delivered a 9.550 before senior captain Kyra Levi calmed the squad with an impressive 9.800, good enough to win the event individually. Altogether, Penn totaled a score of 46.750, compared to SEMO's 47.600 on vault, giving the Redhawks the edge at the halfway mark.

BEAM
The Quakers recovered nicely in the third rotation, with all five scoring gymnasts producing numbers of at least 9.500. Alex Hartke started off with a 9.525, before Levi again produced a solid routine, at 9.700. Nelson stepped into her third event of the day, delivering a 9.625, before Podsednik wowed the crowd with a 9.800. The event victory would go to senior captain Caroline Moore who hit every move in the anchor spot, notching a 9.825, just shy of her career-best in the event. SEMO was able to counter Penn's resurgent score with a strong performance of its own on floor, maintaining over a 1.000 lead after three events. 

FLOOR
As Penn has done in the past, it saved its best for last. The Quakers produced five jaw-dropping performances on floor, starting with a 9.725 from junior Morgan Hunker in the two-spot. Mannino would follow that up with a new career-high in her young career of 9.775, before Levi kept the momentum rolling with a 9.750. The last two routines would set the gym on fire, as Nelson hit a 9.825, concluding her all-around night with a score of 37.500, and Hartke nailed a 9.875 to finish the night, matching her career-best. The Quakers would cut the SEMO lead in half, but it wasn't enough in the end as the Redhawks edged the Red and Blue for the win.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Penn will hit the road for its third-straight dual meet, set to face Ivy foe Cornell on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. in Ithaca, N.Y.