Final Results (PDF)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Illinois men's gymnastics team fell to Stanford and Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Illini posted a team score of 404.000, while Stanford recorded a 417.550 and Michigan scored a 406.700.
"We had about half of a lineup, and we also really hit routines," said head coach Justin Spring. "But, I think it's in the best interest of coming out stronger in the next couple of weeks, which is when we really need to hit. If we have to take a loss in the regular season to be at our best for postseason, that is what we will do."
Starting on pommel horse, Illinois posted a team score of 65.750. Brandon Ngai's 14.800 paced the Illini, and tied with Stanford's Akash Modi to earn his third pommel horse title of the year. Michael Paradise added a 14.200 for Illinois.
The Illini then moved to rings for the second rotation. Alex Diab led Illinois with a 14.800, the second-highest rings score of the day. Johnny Jacobson scored a 13.550, and Jacob Light's season-best 13.300 contributed to a 67.950 on rings for the Illini.
Diab would earn his sixth floor title of the season in the third rotation, posting a 14.200. Ross Thompson scored a 13.450 and Sebastian Quiana recorded a 13.200, as Illinois earned a 64.700 on floor.
For the fourth rotation, the Illini were on parallel bars. Matt Foster and Quiana led Illinois with a 13.750 each, a career-best for Quiana. Tyson Bull also posted a season-best 13.700, as the Illini scored a 66.500 as a team.
Tyson Bull earned his fifth high bar title of the season in the fifth rotation, posting a season-best 15.050. Chandler Eggleston scored 14.400, and Ross Thompson added a 13.650 as Illinois recorded a 69.650 as a team on high bar.
The Illini were on vault in the final rotation. Eggleston paced Illinois with a season-best 14.450. Diab and Quiana also posted a season-best scores, earning a 14.350 and 13.650, respectively. Blake Martin's 14.150 contributed to the 70.450 team score on vault.
"There were some shining moments," Spring said. "Sebastian's parallel bars, Jacob's rings, those two routines. But we missed too many routines, and in a five up, five count format you can't do that."
ILLINI TITLES
UP NEXT
The Illini will travel to Norman, Oklahoma, next weekend to face the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, March 18.
