UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. – After trailing through five rotations, the Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team rallied from behind to defeat Penn State 397.250-396.550 in the first B1G meet of the season.
The meet had originally ended in a 397.550-397.250 victory for Penn State. However, it was found that after the meet a clerical error had occurred when a score was inputted with the wrong start value. After contention, Penn State's score was reduced by one point, giving Illinois the victory, 397.250-396.550.
Sophomore Sebastian Ingersoll had a career day for the Illini, setting new career-high scores on pommel horse (13.250), vault (14.150) and high bar (13.550). Junior Evan Manivong also set a new career-best on the vault (14.850) to take the event title, while senior Hamish Carter took the high bar title with a season-high 13.800 and junior Connor McCool won the floor with a season-best 13.500.
"We started a little shaky tonight but really turned it on at the end of our first head to head battle. It was a close and tough battle and I was very proud of how the team turned it on at the end when it mattered most!" head coach Justin Spring said.
After being outscored by the Nittany Lions on floor, pommel horse, and still rings, the Illini grinded their way back to best the scores of Penn State on vault, parallel bars, and high bar.
Heading into the final rotation, Illinois trailed by just 0.5 points. The high bar lineup proceeded to score a 65.600 compared to Penn State's 64.400, capped off by Carter's event-winning 13.800, to complete the come-from-behind victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
MEET NOTES
- Illinois established season-high scores on all apparatuses except high bar.
- Junior transfer Ashton Anaya made his Illini debut, setting a career-high 13.250 on rings.
- Senior Hamish Carter set season-highs on floor (13.250) and high bar (13.800).
- Carter also claimed the event title on high bar, his sixth career event title on high bar and 15th overall of his career.
- Senior Michael Fletcher set season-highs on pommel horse (13.300) and parallel bars (13.600).
- Sophomore Will Hauke returned to the lineup after missing the majority of last season with an injury, posting a 12.150 on pommel horse.
- Sophomore Sebastian Ingersoll had a career day for the Illini, establishing new career-highs on pommel horse (13.250), vault (14.150), and high bar (13.550).
- Junior Dylan Kolak scored a season-high 13.000 on the floor.
- Junior Evan Manivong set a new career-high on vault with a score of 14.850.
- Manivong also claimed the event title on the vault, his fourth career vault title and 5th overall of his career.
- Senior Clay Mason-Stephens established a season-best 13.150 on floor.
- Junior Connor McCool posted season-best scores of 13.500 and 14.350 on floor and vault, respectively.
- McCool also claimed the floor exercise event title with his 13.500, his fourth-career floor title, also the fourth overall of his career.
- Sophomore Logan Myers established season-highs on rings (13.300) and parallel bars (13.050) while also setting a career-best score on vault (14.300).
- Graduate Student David Pochinka set new season-high scores on pommel horse (13.550), still rings (13.30), parallel bars (13.350) and high bar (12.550).
- Senior Ian Skirkey scored a season-best 13.150 on pommel horse.
UP NEXT
Illinois returns to Huff Hall for the first time this season to take on Ohio State next Saturday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. CT. It will be the first-time fans will be back in the stands since the 2020 season. Live streaming will also be available on B1G+.
FOLLOW THE #ILLINI
Follow @IlliniMGYM on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest photos and videos from Fighting Illini men's gymnastics, and tune in to fightingillini.com for the latest news on the team.
