March 19, 2005
CHICAGO, Ill. -
Posting a season-high score of 191.250, the Illinois State gymnastics team took fourth place at the Illinois State meet in Chicago, Saturday afternoon.
Host school Illinois-Chicago claimed the unofficial state title, carding a 195.250, and finishing first at the four-team competition. Illinois trailed UIC, finishing second with a 194.000. Northern Illinois rounded out Saturday's meet, finishing third and scoring a 192.750.
The uneven bars were the highlight of the afternoon competition for the Redbirds. The squad turned in a season-high bars score of 48.375. This total can be credited to three Illinois State gymnasts, Carolina Posada, Megan Goetting and Erin Cunningham, carding a 9.700. The trio tied for ninth place overall.
Posada went on to post a 9.650 on the vault, tying with Illinois State's Amy Biedenharn on the event. The finish tied the pair for the 17th spot, while leading the `Birds on the event.
Freshman Redbirds Kara Strnad and Cheryl Berezan rose to the occasion in their respective events at the four-team contest. Strnad led the beam team with a 9.650, claiming ninth place overall. Berezan scored a 9.750 on the floor, tying a personal and season best, while tying for eighth place in the event.
The Redbirds led Northern Illinois heading into the third rotation, 144.175-144.050, but Illinois State's performance on its final event, the balance beam, cost the team a higher finish. Northern Illinois' last event was the vault and the team recorded an impressive 48.700 on the event, with each competitor scoring 9.625 or better.
Illinois State head coach Kristin Montero was impressed by the team's performance at the state meet.
"Everyone is really excited about scoring our season high," said Montero. "But I don't think everyone left thinking it was our best meet. Overall the team performed well. The girls looked good and hit their routines well. Bars and vault were the best they have been all season but some untimely falls on beam cost us a third place finish."
Montero went on to comment on the upcoming Midwest Independent Conference championship meet.
"The conference meet is going to be really good for us," Montero continued. "After scoring our season-high team score today, the team has some needed confidence. This will actually be the first time all season we will face some of the conference schools so that puts us at a disadvantage. But the team just needs to keep in mind that some of the teams that will be at conference next week are completely beatable."
Illinois State travels to Texas Women's University, the host for the 2005 MIC Gymnastics Championships, for the Friday, March 25 meet in Denton, Texas. The five-team meet will begin at 6 p.m.
