March 8, 2008
Final Stats
YPSILANTI, Mich. -
The Illinois State gymnastics team (8-3) struggled on its balance beam and floor routines on Saturday at the Eagle Invitational. The four-team field was made up of Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan and Air Force. The Redbirds came in third place with a total score of 190.625. Eastern Michigan won the competition with a 192.475, while Northern Illinois took second place by a score of 191.750. Air Force finished behind ISU with a score of 189.750.
Head coach Bob Conkling felt that his team could have performed better at the Eagle Invitational.
"We did not perform our routines like we should have," said Conkling. "There were good performances, but when half of the team makes mistakes, you do not score well. They needed to buckle down and hit their routines. The gymnasts will need to step up now during the remainder of the season because there is not much time left. We should have won the meet today."
Junior co-captain Meaghan Koshman was the only Redbird to place in the top-three on the vault. Koshman tied for third with a 9.775. Due to injury, the vault was the only event Koshman competed in on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Hannah Deutsch placed seventh with a 9.675. Duyen Zu Vuong from Eastern Michigan took first place in the event with a 9.825.
The Redbirds picked up momentum as they headed into the uneven bars. Senior co-captain Amanda Candler tied for first with Vuong in the event with a score of 9.700. Freshman Erica Schick took third place in the event, scoring a 9.650. Senior Cheryl Berezan and sophomore Jessica Prousa tied for fifth with a 9.575, and freshman Robin Weissman tied for ninth place with a 9.550.
The `Birds ran into trouble with their balance beam routines. With several mistakes, Deutsch was the only Redbird to score in the top-three finishing in second place with a score of 9.800. Sophomore Lisa Mulchek took eighth place with a 9.575, while Weissman placed 10th with a 9.500. Jennifer Naughton from Northern Illinois won the event with a score of 9.825.
The mistakes did not end on the balance beam. On the floor routine, the gymnasts struggled to keep their consistency where they finished in fourth place with a team score of 47.325. Candler was the only Redbird to place in the top-10. She finished eighth with a 9.700.
Weissman finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.150. It was her first collegiate all-around performance.
The Redbirds will return home for their final home meet of the season on Tuesday, March 11. The gymnasts will take on in-state rival the Flames of Illinois-Chicago. The first routine is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. inside Horton Field House.
