Feb. 5, 2010
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Senior Andrea Orris set three career-highs in an Illinois State win over Ball State Friday evening in Horton Field House. The Redbirds (194.150) edged Ball State (193.925) and set a new season-high team score.
The Cardinals took the higher score on the first rotation, but the Redbirds came back to win the uneven bars (48.750), balance beam (48.525) and the floor exercise (48.675).
Head coach Bob Conkling prepared the team to aggressively take on their routines.
"I told the team to stay focused, tight and to attack their routines," Conkling said. "It is too easy for the student-athletes to just protect their routines. If they want to get the high scores and do well, they need to attack. That's exactly what they did tonight."
The win over Ball State led numerous gymnasts to besting their career-high scores. Orris set three new career-highs on the uneven bars (9.750), the balance beam (9.775) and the floor exercise (9.825). Career-highs were also set on the bars by freshmen Kim Genereux (9.800) and Apollonia Barrientos (9.800). Senior Erica Schick set a career-high on the floor exercise (9.875).
Assistant coach Steve Avgerinos took notice of the team's focus throughout the competition.
"I thought the athletes focus was better this meet than it has been all season," Avgerinos said. "Throughout the meet they didn't loose focus or miss a step; they were in the moment the whole time."
The team score set a season-high for the team besting last meets score of 192.600.
"This team is capable of scoring this high every week," Conkling said. "The coaches and student-athletes have worked hard to get the team capable of this kind of score; they just have to hit the events. Ball State performed really well tonight; they have great coaches and a great program. This meet came down to the last couple routines, and that's what makes for an exciting competition."
The Redbirds will head out on the road taking on Illinois-Chicago Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m.
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