Redbirds Post Season-High Score At Metroplex Challenge

FORT WORTH, Texas – The Illinois State gymnastics team squared off against three of the best teams in the country on Saturday afternoon at the Metroplex Challenge and held their own, scoring a season-high score of 195.850 to finish fourth overall in their session. No. 4 Utah won the meet with a score of 197.600, followed by No. 22 Illinois with a 196.300 and No. 18 Georgia with a 196.100 as the Redbirds rounded things out.

The Redbirds' scored of 195.850 is the fourth-highest total in school history, falling just short of the third place score of 195.875 set last season against Southeast Missouri State.

Scoring Breakdown:
•    #4 Utah: 197.600
•    #22 Illinois: 196.300
•    #18 Georgia: 196.100
•    Illinois State: 195.850

Thoughts from Head Coach Bob Conkling:
"Being in third for most of the meet until the last few routines was a great motivator for us. I believe we were the second-highest scoring team on floor even with a couple small mistakes. The good news is the team performed liked they belonged, and we got the scores we deserved which was nice for a change. We were within striking distance of two out of the three teams we competed against which should give us a lot of confidence for the rest of the year."

Team Notes:
•    The Redbirds started things off on bars with a solid score of 48.900, tying for their second-highest score of the year on the event.
•    Beam followed and the 'Birds posted their highest score of the year at 48.925, with five scores all over 9.7.
•    It was then onto the floor for ISU and once again the Redbirds shined, posting a 49.200 for their second-highest team score of the year on the event … the score was also the second highest among the four teams in the session, behind Utah's 49.475.
•    A solid vault score of 48.825 capped things off for the Redbirds, who bested their season-high score by .650.

Gymnast Notes:
•    Senior Angelica Labat finished second overall in the session in the all-around with a 38.950, behind Georgia's Naya Howard in first place. 
•    Labat was the top finisher for the Redbirds on vault with a 9.825 and posted the highest score for ISU on bars with a 9.850.
•    Freshman Nirel Bart-Williams was the top finisher for the Redbirds in the other two events, with a career-high score of 9.850 on beam and a career-best tying score of 9.900 on floor.
•    Sara Wabi also posted a career best on floor, as she was the second-highest finisher for the Redbirds with a 9.875.
•    Freshman Joy Ziegenfelder also added a career-best score on beam with a 9.825 to finish just behind Bart-Williams for ISU.

Up Next:
The Redbirds return home on Friday, February 17, to host Midwest Independent Conference foe Southeast Missouri State at CEFCU Arena at 7 p.m.

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