NORMAL, Ill. – Junior Amanda Mohler won both the uneven bars competition and the balance beam competition with season-high scores of 9.850 and 9.825, respectively, but ISU ultimately fell to Southeast Missouri State by a score of 192.625-191.575 in a dualmeet Friday night inside Horton Field House.
The Redbirds held their annual PINK meet in support of women's cancer awareness and performed extremely well for those in attendance supporting the cause, as they scored a season-high team score of 191.575.
Head coach Bob Conkling was overall very pleased with the mental and physical strength his team showed tonight, despite a few falls on the floor exercise.
"The team's mentality was strong tonight," Conkling said. "Their fight on the balance beam was fantastic and I knew that determination was there all along. We have to put it all together to get all 24 routines, and we almost did that tonight."
The Redhawks took an early lead in the first rotation with a team score of 48.600 on the uneven bars, with the Redbirds coming up short on the vault with a score of 48.050. Sophomore Kristyn Bossle and junior Sarah Fisher led the Redbirds in the vault competition placing second and third overall with scores of 9.825 and 9.650, respectively.
"Bossle's vault performance was incredible," Conkling said. "Eventually she will stick it and will score even bigger."
ISU cut into the deficit with a 48.475 on the bars during the second rotation. Mohler, senior Sami King, and sophomore Samantha Ward led the Redbirds placing first, second, and third in the uneven bars competition. SEMO suffered a rough landing during the second rotation on vault, but Ashley Thomas carried the team placing first in the vault competition with a score of 9.850.
"King put on her best bar routine ever here at ISU," Conkling said. "Mohler also put on a beautiful bar set. Bars were a very good event for us tonight."
ISU maintained their lead after the third rotation with a team score of 48.175 on the balance beam, leading against SEMO 144.700-144.425.
"Mohler set a beautiful balance beam routine and King's fight to stay on beam was perfect," Conkling said.
Despite the falls in the floor competition, Danci Cha was a bright spot and won the floor competition with a season-high score of 9.825. Conkling was pleased with the floor routines in ISU's last rotation.
"We did get a little tired during floor, because of how well we were doing, but overall I'm really happy we were right next to SEMO the entire competition," Conkling said. "I was very impressed with Danci's floor performance and thought there was no better way to end the meet."
Next up, the Redbirds travel to Fayeteville, Ark., for a tri-meet against SEMO and Arkansas on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
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