Of all the work that goes into constructing lineups, the most important job is filling the anchor spot. It can make the difference between counting a fall and escaping with a hit rotation. It can put an exclamation point on an already strong set of routines. And, in the face of adversity, a hit in the anchor spot can restore confidence in a team.
This weekend, all of those things were at stake when Penn sophomore Natalie Yang went up on beam. The Quakers were facing the possibility of counting a beam fall for the second home meet in a row. But under pressure, Yang dazzled and earned a 9.875, which tied the program’s fourth best score and her career high set last year.
For Yang, performing under pressure is second nature, but she doesn’t like to give it a second thought.
“I don’t think about being last,” Yang said. She said she doesn’t watch her teammates’ routines, but she’s confident in their abilities. “I like knowing that I can trust the five that go before me and know they trust me too.”
Yang has taken on the anchor role in her sophomore season after going up second-to-last in every meet in 2019. She established herself as the program’s most confident and consistent beam worker, and her progress has been such that she’s been entrusted with the anchor position this year. She’s known to deliver when her team needs her most.
“Coming through under pressure is her speciality,” Penn head coach John Ceralde said. “She’s very consistent and confident on beam and as a gymnast.”
Consistent is something of an understatement for the California product; Yang has fallen on beam just once after competing on the event in every meet of her career. Though that fall happened last week on the road, all signs point to another consistent season for Yang in 2020.
Beyond 2020, she looks to add more events to her competitive repertoire, noting she’s especially interested in floor. But for now, she wants to finish what she started as she begins her sophomore campaign. “I want to stay consistent,” she said. As for her goal as a teammate, she said, “We’ve kept the energy high all season, and my goal is to keep doing that and having fun.”
Article by Katherine Weaver
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