NORMAN, Okla., Feb. 7, 2003 - The 17th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team narrowly fell to 15th-ranked Oklahoma, losing 195.800 to 195.450, Friday night in Norman, Okla. The Nittany Lions fall to 5-5 while the Sooners, who Penn State defeated earlier in the season, improve to 4-6.

Senior Katie Rowland (Georgetown, Ontario) claimed the all-around title with a season-high score of 39.525, aided by a career-high and school-record-tying 9.950 on the vault.

The meet was neck and neck throughout, as the team's flip-flopped in the top spot through the first three events. OU headed into the final rotation on floor exercise with a narrow lead at 147.00-146.650. The meet would come down to the final competitor, Sooner senior Patricia Aoki, who scored a 9.925 and solidified the Oklahoma victory.

Penn State opened up the meet on the bars, posting a team score of 48.900 in the event. Rowland and senior Katie McAvoy (Winnipeg, Manitoba) claimed the highest Nittany Lion finish, tying for third with a 9.825. Junior Kelly Streicher (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished in seventh with a 9.775 while senior Nikki Bongiovanni (Meriden, Conn.) followed in eighth with a 9.750. Oklahoma's Allison Landis claimed the top spot with a 9.950.

Rowland took the top spot on the vault, aiding Penn State's season-high team score of 49.250 in the event. McAvoy placed third with a season-high 9.875 while Bongiovanni set a career mark with her score of 9.850 to place fourth. Sophomore Kate Stopper (Reinholds, Pa.) also set a personal best in the event, recording a 9.825 to place fifth. Freshmen Meredith Hoover (Dublin, Ohio) and Michelle Ilg (Colonia, N.J.) rounded out Penn State's competitors, tying for seventh with a 9.750.

Stopper was Penn State's highest finisher on the floor with a career-high of 9.900 to tie for second. Rowland finished fourth with a 9.875 while Hoover placed sixth, scoring a 9.825. As a team, the Nittany Lions recorded a mark of 48.500.

Rowland and McAvoy tied with Oklahoma's Kelly Haggerty for the beam title, each posting a season-high 9.875 as the team recorded a 48.800. Bongiovanni finished in sixth with a 9.775 while Streicher tallied a season-high 9.750, good for seventh place.

The Sooners posted team scores of 48.900 on the vault, 49.075 on the bars, 49.025 on the beam and 48.800 on the floor.

The Nittany Lions travel to West Virginia on Sunday, Feb. 16 for a 2:00 p.m. meeting with the Mountaineers. Penn State returns home on Saturday, Feb. 22 for a double dual with the Penn State men's team against Ohio State beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Visit Penn State's official athletics website, www.GoPSUsports.com, for more information on the Nittany Lion women's gymnastics team.

Penn State Scoring Breakdown:

 All-Around: 195.450 1. Katie Rowland: 39.525 3. Katie McAvoy: 38.825 4. Nikki Bongiovanni: 38.550 Vault: 49.250 1. Katie Rowland: 9.950 3. Katie McAvoy: 9.875 4. Nikki Bongiovanni: 9.850 t5. Kate Stopper: 9.825 t7. Meredith Hoover: 9.750 t7. Michelle Ilg: 9.750 Bars: 48.900 t3. Katie McAvoy: 9.825 t3. Katie Rowland: 9.825 7. Kelly Streicher: 9.775 8. Nikki Bongiovanni: 9.750 9. Leslie Bair: 9.725 11. Dana Cuomo: 9.600 Floor: 48.500 t2. Kate Stopper: 9.900 4. Katie Rowland: 9.875 6. Meredith Hoover: 9.825 8. Michelle Ilg: 9.650 11. Katie McAvoy: 9.250 12. Nikki Bongiovanni: 9.175 Beam: 48.800 t1. Katie McAvoy: 9.875 t1. Katie Rowland: 9.875 6. Nikki Bongiovanni: 9.775 t7. Kelly Streicher: 9.750 10. Kate Stopper: 9.525 11. Meredith Hoover: 9.275