Purple Knights Open 2014 Gymnastics Season With Strong Showing At Arkansas

Fayetteville, Ark.-The five-time defending USAG Women's Collegiate Team Champions, the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights, opened their 2014 gymnastics season at University of Arkansas on Friday evening with a tri-meet that also featured Western Michigan University.  The host Razorbacks, who begin the season as the nation's number 11 ranked NCAA Division I squad, won the meet with a total of 196.200 points. UB grabbed second place with a total of 190.875 points, and Western Michigan was third with a total of 190.650.

As a team, the Purple Knights scored 48.225 on the bars, 47.850 in the floor exercise, 47.600 on the vault and 47.175 on the balance beam.

Junior Sasha Tsikhanovich (Marysville, Ohio) was UB's top finisher on the balance beam (9.800.fifth place tie) and in the floor exercise (9.625/fifth place).

Senior Melissa Doucette (Somersworth, N.H.) was the Purple Knights' high scorer on the vault (9.800) which tied her for second place, and classmate Lissette La Fex (Diamond Bar, Calif.) earned high honors for Bridgeport on the bars with a score of 9.775 (tie for fifth). 

Tsikhanovich, La Fex and Doucette competed in Friday's all-around, and Sasha compiled a score of 38.750 in the four events (third place),  Lissette turned in a total of 38.675 (fourth place), and Melissa was fifth compiling a total of 37.975.  Arkansas' Katherine Grable won the all-around title in the meet with a score of 39.475.

Bridgeport is right back in action tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, January 11, as the team is back in Connecticut and will face local rival Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.  Action is schedule to begin at 1:00 p.m.