By Eli Davis, Maryland Media Relations
When the GymTerps compete in the B1G Five Meet in Columbus, Ohio, it will be a familiar format as the squad is fresh off the Maryland Five Meet and a second place finish.
Last week Maryland hosted Pittsburgh, Texas Woman's University, Yale and George Washington while honoring their seniors – Kathy Tang, Bailey Philbin and Alex Zimmermann – during their final meet at the XFINITY Center.
“These seniors have meant a lot to the program and I am sad to see them go, but I am happy that we got to spend so much great time with them,” head coach Brett Nelligan said.
Although they saw a small setback in terms of scoring, posting a 194.700, the format should give the Terps an advantage as they prepare to face conference foes Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State and Nebraska. The B1G Five Meet will determine the session schedules for the Big Ten Tournament the following weekend.
Unlike a normal meet format with two teams competing, a five meet throws in extra wrinkles including a bye during the event.
“We are ready. We did a trial run here with five teams,” Nelligan said following the Maryland Five Meet. “I think maybe that will give us a little bit of an advantage going into [the B1G Five Meet].”
Tang will look to ride the momentum of her senior night into the B1G Five and subsequent postseason play.
The Agawam, Mass., native, paced the Terrapins winning the vault with a score of 9.850, while posting a 9.700 on bars and a 9.850 on floor – her final routine in front of the home crowd.
“I knew it was my last one, so I just tried to compete with all my heart, all my emotions and just leave it out there on the floor,” Tang said.
“I am glad that it ended that way. Hopefully this is the moment that she remembers, that final routine on floor in front of our fans,” Nelligan added. “That is the way to go out. That is the way you want it to end.”
During their bye in the first time slot, the Terps returned to the locker room to stay focused and avoid distractions from the other teams. But once they returned to the floor, it was the energy of the crowd and electricity in the building that fueled the team.
“Some people don't like when it is super loud, but honestly I think we feed off of that energy really well,” said junior Sarah Faller. “When the crowd is into it and the place is bumping, it is awesome. We always feed off that energy.”
Energy is one facet never lacking from Nelligan's squad, which they will look to carry with them through the remainder of the season.
“This team has a lot of fight in them,” Faller said. “We have done that throughout the entire season and I think we are willing to bring that into postseason as well.”
