DUBOIS — The new-look DuBois gymnastics team enjoyed a strong opening night Monday — with two of its competitors posting career-best scores — but it wasn’t enough to overcome a strong Altoona team as the Lady Mountain Lions walked away with a 140.325-121.625 win.
Lauren Stroka, who returned after missing last season due to injury, backed up DuBois as she placed second in the all-around with a career-best score of 35.475.
Stroka took top honors on vault (9.250) and placed second on bars with an 8.650. She also placed fifth on beam (8.750) and sixth on floor (8.825).
Fellow senior May Jones posted four top-eight finishes en route to a fifth-place finish in the all-around with a score of 32.850.
Jones’ best event was vault, where she placed fourth with a score of 8.550. She added seventh place on beam (8.400) and eighth place on both bars (7.550) and floor (8.350).
DuBois senior Riley Kimmatic had three top-10 finishes. He was ninth on vault (7.825) and tenth on beam (7.000) and floor (7.350). His results on beam and floor were the best of his career.
Top newcomer Julian Rowen was 10th on bars (5.35) and fellow newcomer Abby Reeve was seventh in the all-around with a score of 24.450. She was 11th on vault (7.300), beam (6.675) and floor (7.275) and 12th on bars {3.200).
“It was a great result,” Dubois coach Nicole Finale said of her team’s season-opening performance. “We were also missing a couple of gymnasts. We have a lot of new gymnasts who came together really well. We hope to continue to add more difficulty to the routines.”
“Lauren (Stroka) had a great night. It was her highest all-around score. She has been working hard trying to increase her difficulty. Mia (Jones) had a strong night in all four events.
Altoona’s Claire Piper won both bars (8.900) and floor (9.275) on her way to scoring a 35.900 for Stroka’s best in the all-around. Teammate Emma Pettoy took first on beam (9.050).
DuBois (0-1) is now off until after the new year, hosting Saint Mary’s on Jan. 4.