TEMPE, ARIZ. – Illinois Men's Gymnastics took down Arizona State on Saturday, 422.900-396.200. The Fighting Illini took all seven event titles, and led the entire way.
"This is how a big season starts," head coach Justin Spring said. "You don't end this way. We are starting like this, very high hit number percentages, and you continue to get better. That's how you get to the top of the pack. We are starting at a very high point and that's how it should be."
The Orange and Blue started the meet on pommel horse, and senior Matt Foster started things off with the best score of the day, a 14.750. It was his second-straight pommel horse title on the year. Junior Brandon Ngai finished in second with a 14.300, helping the Illini to a 70.050 team score.
Floor was the next rotation for Illinois. Sophomore Alex Diab claimed the first of his titles on the day with a 14.700. With a score of 14.400, senior Joey Peters also played a key role in helping the Illini to a team score of 71.200 in the event.
Junior Bobby Baker claimed his second vault title of the year in the next rotation with a score of 14.550. Senior Taylor Smith contributed to the team score of 70.050 in the event, with a 14.000.
The fourth rotation saw the Illini on rings. Highlighted by Diab's title-winning 14.800 score, Illinois recorded a 70.400 on rings as a team. Senior Tom Gibbs placed second in the event, with a score of 14.100.
On high bar, redshirt junior Chandler Eggleston won his first title of the season with a score of 14.600. Sophomore Ross Thompson's 14.100 was the second-best score on the event of the day, and helped Illinois to a 70.350 team score on the event.
In the final event, parallel bars, the Illini recorded a 70.850. The high score on parallel bars went to Johnny Jacobson, his second in as many meets, with a score of 14.400. Gibbs placed second with a 14.200, and Peters and Eggleston tied for third with scores of 14.150.
In the all-around competition, Jacobson finished first with an 81.850, and Peters was right behind with a score of 81.200.
"I really liked the level of energy they brought," Spring said. "It seemed like they were going to work, like they were going to take care of business. That's exactly what my guys did, and it's two weeks in a row that I'm walking away as a happy coach."
TITLE WINNERS
UP NEXT
Illinois will host its first dual meet of the season next weekend, as Minnesota comes to town. The meet is set for Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. CT, and the annual youth clinic will take place immediately following competition.
