Navy Gymnastics Falls to William & Mary in Close ECAC Matchup

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – A mix of seasoned veterans and emerging talent took to the floor at Kaplan Arena on Saturday, as the Navy gymnastics team faced William & Mary in a late-season ECAC matchup. While the Mids showcased promising individual performances, the host Tribe ultimately secured a 310.85-308.60 victory, capitalizing on consistent scoring across all events.

The meet provided valuable competitive experience for seven Navy underclassmen, a strategic move by head coach Kip Simons to assess future potential while navigating the current season. Despite the setback, Simons expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall progress and the bright outlook for Navy Gymnastics.

Navy’s individual highlights included impressive showings from Jonah Soltz, Benjamin Thurlow Lam, Aaron Stein, and Matthew Petros, each claiming an event title. Soltz dominated on the pommel horse and vault, while Thurlow Lam excelled on the floor exercise, Stein on the rings, and Petros on the parallel bars. These victories underscored the team’s depth and versatility.

As a team, Navy posted scores of 52.95 on floor, 50.75 on pommel horse, 52.35 on rings – a season-high surpassing their previous best of 50.85 set at the Navy Open on January 24 – 53.05 on vault, 49.50 on parallel bars, and 50.0 on high bar. The rings performance was a clear indication of the team’s growing strength in that discipline.

“We used this afternoon to rest some of our top guys and give some of our younger, less experienced competitors the opportunity to go out and battle against a conference opponent,” Simons remarked. “We came up short today, but overall I’m pleased with where we are as we prepare for the postseason and more importantly, the future of Navy Gymnastics looks bright.”

The competition was tightly contested through the first half, with Navy holding a narrow 103.70-102.75 lead after the completion of the floor exercise and pommel horse rotations. A strong showing on the pommel horse, led by Soltz’s winning score of 13.4, proved crucial in establishing that early advantage. Petros followed closely with a 13.3, and Saran Alexander, competing in his first meet of the season after recovering from an offseason injury, added a 12.65 for a fourth-place finish.

Thurlow Lam’s floor exercise performance was a standout, tying his career-high score of 14.1. Soltz contributed a 13.25, securing fourth place. Adding to the promising debut, McKinley Michel and Colby Prince both registered a score of 12.8 in their first collegiate meet.

William & Mary responded strongly in the subsequent events, gaining momentum on the rings and vault. Navy maintained a 2.0-point edge on the rings, with Stein and Zachary Silao finishing first and second, respectively, with scores of 13.3 and 13.25. Silao’s performance marked a significant personal best, exceeding his previous high of 12.55. Alexander and Misha Romo tied for fourth with identical scores of 12.9, also achieving personal career highs.

The vault saw a split in the top rankings, with Soltz claiming victory with a score of 14.0, 0.25 points ahead of the competition. Thurlow Lam tied for third place with William & Mary’s Ricky Pizem at 13.6.

However, William & Mary seized the opportunity in the final two events, delivering exceptional performances on the parallel bars and high bar. Their parallel bars routine was over three points above their season average, and they secured a 1.55-point advantage on the high bar to ultimately clinch the victory. Petros earned the individual title on the parallel bars with a score of 13.45, narrowly edging out William & Mary’s Nicholas Kosarikov.

Cody Phillips, a freshman, posted a 13.0 in his first collegiate routine on the parallel bars. Luke Tully of William & Mary secured the win on the high bar with a 13.6, while Romo led Navy’s high bar lineup with a third-place result of 13.05. Soltz concluded his all-around performance with a 12.5, finishing fifth overall.

Soltz’s all-around score of 76.8, his best of the season, was comprised of a 13.25 on floor, 13.4 on pommel horse, 12.2 on rings, 14.0 on vault, 11.45 on parallel bars, and 12.5 on high bar.

Navy will conclude its regular season next Saturday with a road meet at Springfield College, with first touch scheduled for 1 p.m. At Blake Arena.