Heather Mohler of the Illinois State gymnastics team set a new school record in the all-around (AA) competition (49.500) and led the team to a new team scoring record Sunday afternoon in Louisiana as the Redbirds captured a decisive victory (196.175-190.800) over Centenary.
On the way to scoring their highest score in away competition, ISU also broke two team scoring records on bars and floor exercise. The bars record, previously set at 49.075 before a home crowd versus Illinois, now stands at 49.250.
The floor exercise record, previously set at 49.350 at home against Illinois-Chicago, now stands at a lofty 49.450. The new floor exercise record is especially remarkable considering that senior Michelle Huston, the schools leading scorer on floor was out with a minor shoulder injury
Mohler, a sophomore from Wadworth, Ohio, won the all-around competition in the process of breaking the school record on beam (9.950) and scoring personal bests on vault (9.950) and floor (9.800). Mohler tied her personal best mark of 9.825 on the uneven bars.
Lisa Klein, a freshman from St. Charles, Mo, matched senior Michelle Hustons school record of 9.95 on the floor exercise. One judge awarded Klein a perfect 10, but her average was brought down with a score of 9.90 from the second judge. Klein also received first-place honors on beam with a second place mark of 9.875.
Junior Jaime Reineck from Rochelle, Ill. also had an outstanding meet in her second appearance this season as an all-arounder for Illinois State. With an overall mark of 38.950, Reineck finished second in the AA after scoring a 9.4 on vault, a personal best of 9.875 on bars, a 9.800 on beam, and a personal best of 9.875 on floor exercise.
Sophomore Kristy Kreinbrink continued her winning ways as a valuable event specialist for Illinois State. Scoring a 9.900 on bars and a 9.900 on floor, Kreinbrink matched her highest scores of the season and took first and third places on those events, respectively.
ISU head coach Jill Hollembeak was thrilled after Sunday afternoons performance and the way in which her team fought back from Friday nights loss against Illinois-Chicago and Ball State. "We decided to relax and do what we did in the beginning of the year, focusing on each moment at a time. We were so confident and we had an incredible meet.
"To go into [University of Illinois at] Chicago and have a rough meetand then to come back just two days later took so much character. It felt great."
Illinois State will travel to Illinois-Chicago on Fri. Mar. 16 as the Flames host the Illinois Classic at 7 p.m. in UICs Physical Education Building.
