March 31, 2007
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CHICAGO - The Illinois State gymnastics team finished their last meet of the season with a second place finish in the Midwest Independent Conference Championships. Sophomore Meaghan Koshman won the all-around with a 39.025, placing first on the vault with a score of 9.800, a career-high bars score of 9.775 and also tied for third with a 9.775 on the balance beam. The Redbirds placed second overall with a 193.375 behind Illinois-Chicago (193.900) and carded three wins over Southeast Missouri State (193.300), Texas Woman's (191.250) and Centenary (190.575).
Head coach Bob Conkling was extremely pleased with how his gymnasts performed in their last meet of the season.
"We started on beam for the day and that set the tone for the entire meet," Conkling said. "We had a great meet and it was pretty incredible that we placed second overall. Koshman was mentally was strong all week and she kept telling herself she would hit her events and it paid off."
The `Birds carded new season highs in two events with a 48.175 on vault and a 48.375 on the uneven bars. The gymnasts tied their season-high score of 48.300 on the floor exercise.
"Counting a 9.575 for our lowest score is great and we had a great night on each event," said Conkling.
Senior Carolina Posada also had an impressive meet placing second on her floor exercise with a 9.750 and making the all-conference team. She continued to vault well and tied her season-high score of 9.650.
All-arounder Jessica Prousa continued to up her career-high scores on vault, bars and the all-around. The freshman posted a 9.475 on vault, as well as a 9.825 on bars for a third-place finish. She also carded a 38.575 on the all-around and placed fourth.
Freshman Andrea Orris posted a new career-high bars score of 9.400 and tied her current beam career-high of 9.575.
"It was all mental today and they wanted to do well," Conkling said. "They convinced themselves that they would do well and they did. It was a mental set on their part and that changed their performance from the rest of the season."
