Feb. 25, 2012
Results
CHICAGO - No. 18 Illinois hit their final 18 routines at the UIC Physical Education Building, but it wasn't enough to overcome a slow start on bars, as the Illini fell 195.250-193.975 to the Flames on Saturday night. The Orange and Blue, who only hit two bar routines in the first rotation to score a 46.850, bounced back with their second-highest season marks on vault (48.900) and floor (49.175) before closing the contest with a season-best score of 49.050 on beam.
"We were climbing uphill the entire meet after the situation we put ourselves in on bars," head coach Kim Landrus said. "I told the team that we still had three events left and to just do the gymnastics they know how to do. They really embraced what we told them and hit every routine after that, but it was not enough to come away with a win after the way we started."
Senior Kelsey Joannides, who won three titles for the second meet in a row, took the top spot on beam with a 9.875, grabbed first on floor by equaling a career-high 9.900 and matched a career best in the all-around with a 39.375. The Frederick, Md., native also tied for second on bars with a 9.775 and finished fourth on vault with a 9.825. She leads the squad with a career-high 13 individual titles this season, which is already tied for the 10th-most for a single season in program history.
"Kelsey does not let a lot rattle her," Landrus said. "She is the type of gymnast that just goes out there and does her job every weekend. She takes what she does in practice and shows it on the competition floor."
Sophomore Amber See captured her first vault title of the year with a career-high 9.925, which tied the second-best score in school history. Marijka Botterman owns the Illinois record with a 9.950 set in 2009. Junior Elise Gill also placed in the top five on the event with a 9.800.
On balance beam, the Illini nabbed five of the top six spots, led by the victory from Joannides. Freshman Kelsi Eberly performed a career-high 9.800 and tied with See and junior Jaclyn Kantecki for second on the event. Sophomore Elizabeth McNabb came in a tie for sixth at 9.775.
See, who has placed among the top three on floor at every meet this season, finished just behind Joannides on the event in the runner-up spot with a 9.875. Gill took fourth after matching a career-high 9.825 while Eberly had another career high at the meet with a 9.800. Sophomore Sarah Fiedler rounded out the scoring with a 9.775.
Up Next: Illinois will host "Gym Jam" presented by FOX 55/27 Illinois on Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall, featuring a double dual meet with the Illini women facing Kentucky and the Illini men squaring off with Ohio State.
