|
Illini Claim Fourth Victory Plank Over Michigan State
The
Illinois women's gymnastics team utilized the third best beam
performance in school history to start 2014 with a 195.325-194.150 win
over Michigan State. The Orange and Blue have now won the Victory Plank
trophy four times and have yet to surrender it to Michigan State since
its creation in 2010. Today's winning score also marked the first time
ever Illinois opened a season with a score above 195. Furthermore, the
Illini took home individual titles on all four events.
"I
think the girls did a great job today," said Illinois head coach Kim
Landrus. "We started on bars and had some mistakes, but we then
regrouped moving on to vault. Each rotation, I felt like we settled in
better and we capped it off with a very solid beam performance."
Amber
See delivered a strong 2014 debut for the Fighting Illini Friday
evening. The veteran senior tallied a 39.250, which is the third
highest all-around score in her career and was good for second place at
today's meet. After scoring a 9.65 on bars, See claimed the vault title
with a 9.85. See, who hit the 9.9 mark or higher four times in 2013,
boosted the Illini with a first-place 9.9 performance on floor. See
then finished her day by tying her career high of 9.85 on beam.
"Being
a senior, Amber is determined to make this her best year yet, and that
showed tonight," explained Landrus. "She has a lot of experience under
her belt and she went out there and performed and took her job to
heart. I'm very proud of her."
The
Illini clinched the meet with a spectacular 49.275 on the balance beam.
Not only is that mark the third highest beam score in school history,
but also the highest score ever produced on an event in the opening
month of Illinois gymnastics. Elizabeth McNabb led the way with a
career high 9.875, as the senior took home her third career beam title.
More impressively, four Illini followed suit in a tie for second place,
with Sunny Kato, Sarah Fiedler, Emily Lennon and See all scoring a
9.85.
"Ending the meet on beam and turning in the performance
they did tonight, really showed what they're capable of," stated
Landrus. "We work a lot on our mental game and they went out and were
tight minded and did their gymnastics like they do every day. It was
great to see their calmness throughout all of their routines."
Illinois
started the meet on bars and found itself trailing Michigan State after
the first rotation 48.800-48.350. Jordan Naleway was the highlight
here, as the junior took home her first collegiate bars title and set a
new career high with a 9.825. Other standouts include McNabb (9.75) and
Fiedler (9.725), who finished in third and fifth place, respectively.
The
Orange and Blue overcame the Spartans in the second rotation after
scoring a 48.775 on vault. O'Connor followed See with a 9.775 third
place showing. Then freshman Erin Buchanan made her Illinois debut with
a 9.775 as well. Fiedler (tied career high of 9.7) and sophomore
Heather Foley (9.675) also added scores to the Illini's vault total.
Next,
the Illini tallied a 48.925 on floor in its third rotation. Buchanan
recorded yet another strong first performance, recording a 9.85 and
finishing in third place. Rounding out the scoring here was Fiedler
(9.75), O'Connor (9.725) and Naleway (9.7).
Finally, Fiedler
scored a 39.025 in just her third-ever meet competing in the
all-around, finishing in third place. O'Connor finished in fourth this
evening with a 38.650.
|
Contact us