University Park, Pa., April 3, 2004 - The Penn State women's gymnastics team took fourth place in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships Saturday night at Rec Hall, posting a team score of 196.075. While the Nittany Lions did not qualify as a team for the NCAA National Championships, junior Lisa Clark will represent Penn State in Los Angeles, as she posted first-place finishes on both the vault (9.950) and floor (9.900).

Georgia placed first at the NCAA Northeast Regionals with a 197.525 and Michigan finished second, scoring a 196.375. Both teams qualify for the NCAA National Championships in Los Angeles on April 15-17.

Rounding out the team scores, Iowa State placed third (196.150), Missouri finished fifth (194.400) and New Hampshire placed sixth (194.125).

As a team, Penn State recorded a season-high 49.500 on the vault, a 48.425 on the bars, a 49.025 on the beam and a 49.125 on the floor.

Four gymnasts set career-high scores on the vault, led by Clark with a first place 9.950. Sophomore Meredith Hoover (Dublin, Ohio), sophomore Jennifer Orlando (Herndon, Va.) and freshman Gena Shingle (Langhorne, Pa.) all tallied career-highs of 9.900. Four out of the six Penn State competitors on the vault held spots among the top five scores.

Senior Kelly Streicher (Colorado Springs, Colo.) closed out her Penn State career with a sixth-place 9.850 on the bars and junior Cecile Allen (State College, Pa.) also recorded a 9.850 to finish sixth in the event. Sophomore Michelle Ilg (Colonia, N.J.) finished fifth on the bars with a 9.875 to lead the Lions.

On the beam, freshman Corissa Pirkl (West Islip, N.Y.) posted the Penn State high score with a sixth-place 9.875. Shingle, Hoover and freshman Ashley Mehrer (Richmond, Va.) all recorded scores of 9.850.

Clark led the Lions on the floor with a first place 9.900. Hoover and junior Kate Stopper (Reinholds, Pa.) recorded scores of 9.850, good for eighth place.

Please visit the women's gymnastics homepage on Penn State's official athletic website, www.GoPSUsports.com for more information on the women's gymnastics team.