NORMAL, Ill. – After an away meet last week in Michigan, the Illinois State gymnastics team returns home to host Midwest Independent Conference foe Southeast Missouri for a meet inside Redbird Arena on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m.
Thoughts from Coach Conkling:
"This will be our first meet at Redbird Arena in a couple years and the team is excited to showcase their routines in our first conference meet of the season. Southeast Missouri looks strong this season and we will need to be at our best to come out on top this Friday. We are hoping to add a couple more top routines back into our line-up this Friday, which will help our team's scoring potential. We need all our fans to come out and cheer the Redbirds to victory."
Against Southeast Missouri:
The Redbirds and Redhawks square off each year during conference season, and ISU has picked up victories in three of the last four meetings … The Redbirds defeated the Redhawks 194.175-184.425 on Jan. 25 and saw them again a month later in a tri-meet with Ball State … Ball State won the meet, with ISU placing second with a score of 194.2500 and SEMO in third with a score of 186.900 … this Friday will be the Redbirds and Redhawks first meeting of the season, with a second meet scheduled on Jan. 31 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Redbird News and Notes:
With two meets under their belts, the Redbirds keep improving their numbers each meet … senior Gabrielle Cooke returned to action after missing the first meet and posted a 9.700 on bars last week at Michigan State … sophomore Sofia Iribarren received a career-high score on bars with a 9.875 to give her a second place finish … freshman Angelica Labat posted career-high scores in three events with a 9.700 on vault, 9.775 on bars and a second place finish on beam with a 9.925 … Labat's 9.925 on beam earned her MIC Performance of the Week honors on Wednesday.
About the Redhawks:
The Redhawks are coached by Ashley Lawson, who is in her second season at the helm of the program … SEMO has competed in three meets so far in the season, with a 1-2 record … Dahlia Solorzano-Caruso and Anna Kaziska were both awarded Midwest Independent Conference Weekly honors on Wednesday … Solorzano-Caruso was named MIC Newcomer of the Week and Kaziska was selected as the MIC Gymnast of the Week … Solorzano-Caruso etched her name in the Redhawks record books with a career-best 9.900 on beam Sunday in a 191.225-190.825 dual meet victory over Alaska Anchorage on Sunday … the score tied for fifth all-time in Southeast program history for the event.
Meet Details:
The meet will be streamed live on ESPN3 and live stats will be available on GoRedbirds.com.
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