Jan. 25, 2004
Results
Champaign, Ill. - Bob Starkell's Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team was very impressive in its home debut Sunday afternoon. The Illini (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) put up an impressive score of 195.700 to top Big Ten rival Michigan State (195.425) in front of 715 fans at Huff Hall. That total ranks as the fourth highest score in Illinois history and was less than half a point shy of the school record of 196.150 set in 2001. Starkell was very pleased with the performance of his team.
"It always feels good when you leave the gym knowing you beat another Big Ten team, especially with a score like this," said Starkell. "As a team, the girls wanted to hit all 24 of their routines and today they went 23 for 24, so they were close to their goal, but in the back of my mind I was hoping the team could go over 195. To put up a score like that this early in the season is great. It should be a good confidence booster for us."
Each of Illinois' four event scores placed in the top ten in school history and all were season-highs. The vault score of 48.575 is tied for 7th on the all-time UI list, the bars score of 49.000 is tied for eighth, the beam score of 48.900 is the 10th best in school history and the floor total of 49.225 comes in as the sixth highest.
Illini freshmen Danye Botterman and Cara Pomeroy were outstanding once again. Pomeroy won the uneven bars with a season-high 9.900 and tied for first on beam with teammate Kara Kapernekas with season-high of 9.875. Botterman tied for the vault title for the third time in three meets with a score of 9.825, and also posted a season-high score of 9.825 on floor. In addition to tying for the title on beam, Kapernekas was also impressive on bars (9.825 - third place) and floor (9.825).
Junior all-arounder Ashley Williams turned in her best performance of the season. The 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year tied a career-high with a vault of 9.800 and set season-high on all other events en route to an all-around score of 39.200, which was good for second place behind MSU's Sarah Alexander (39.250). Junior Lauren Newcomb also competed all-around for the Orange and Blue. She took third with a career-high score of 38.950, which was highlighted by career-highs on beam (9.750) and floor (9.850).
"The two people that I was looking for to have a good weekend were Cara Pomeroy and Ashley Williams," Starkell said. "Both had struggled in the first two meets but were great today. If they can perform like this on a consistent basis, we will be in good shape."
Other career-bests for the Illini include Kim Kirzow's 9.850 on bars (second place) and Katie Wild's 9.875 on floor (third place). Overall, the Illini set or tied 15 season-highs and eight career-bests.
Up Next: The Illini now travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Illinois State Redbirds next Saturday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. central. The Illini men's team will also be taking on the Buckeyes at the meet.
Illinois vs. Michigan State * January 25, 2004 * Huff Hall, Champaign, Ill.
Team Results
Illinois (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
VT - 48.575
UB - 49.000
BB - 48.900
FX - 49.225
Total 195.700
Michigan State (2-4, 0-1 BT)
VT - 48.600
UB - 48.775
BB - 48.725
FX - 49.325
Total - 195.425
Illinois Results (and event winners)
Vault
1t. Danye Botterman 9.825
1t. Kristen Coleman - MSU 9.825
1t. Chayla Hill - MSU 9.825
4. Ashley Williams 9.800
5. Lauren Newcomb 9.750
8. Melissa Singer 9.625
10. Kim Kirzow 9.575
11. Jessica Cole 9.525
Bars
1. Cara Pomeroy 9.900
2. Kim Kirzow 9.850
3t. Kara Kapernekas 9.825
7t. Ashley Williams 9.775
9. Emily Earle 9.650
10. Lauren Newcomb 9.600
Beam
1t. Kara Kapernekas 9.875
1t. Cara Pomeroy 9.875
1t. Jaime Miles - MSU 9.875
7. Ashley Williams 9.775
8. Lauren Newcomb 9.750
9. Margaret Dann 9.625
12. Katie Wild 9.300
Floor
1. Sarah Alexander - MSU 9.925
3t. Katie Wild 9.875
5t. Lauren Newcomb 9.850
5t. Ashley Williams 9.850
8t. Danye Botterman 9.825
8t. Kara Kapernekas 9.825
12. Sara Dumich 9.700
All-Around
1. Sarah Alexander - MSU 39.250
2. Ashley Williams 39.200
3. Lauren Newcomb 38.950
