Michigan State University
Big Ten Championships
Berg Places Third on Bars at Big Ten Championships
3/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 19, 2011
Complete Results
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Junior Jackie Berg led the Michigan State gymnastics team at the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 19 in Minneapolis, Minn. Berg placed third overall on the uneven bars with a score of 9.850. Overall, the Spartans placed seventh as a team with a score of 194.425.
Michigan claimed the overall team crown with a score of 196.600. Penn State followed in second with a 196.375, while Illinois was third (196.075). Minnesota and Ohio State followed in fourth and fifth, respectively. The Golden Gophers posted a 195.325 and the Buckeyes a 194.900. Iowa and MSU rounded out the conference with marks of 194.850 and 194.425, respectively.
Sophomore Taira Neal led the Green and White on the vault as she recorded a team-best score of 9.775. Sharaya Musser of Penn State and Amber See of Illinois claimed top honors on the event with scores of 9.900. Kayla Slechta of Minnesota placed third with a 9.875 mark. Michigan and Illinois led the teams with combined marks of 49.175. Michigan State turned in a 48.650 vault mark.
Berg earned her 10th top-three uneven bars finish with her 9.850 mark at the conference championships. Berg was joined by nine other individuals for third place. Natalie Ettl of PSU earned the bars with 9.925. Melissa Fernandez of Illinois followed with a 9.900. The Nittany Lions turned in the top team score with a 49.225 mark. The Green and White recorded a score of 48.475.
Senior Kelsey Morley paced Michigan State on the balance beam as she recorded a team-high 9.775. Jordan Sexton of Michigan finished first on the beam with a 9.875. Musser was joined by Kelsey Joannides of Illinois and teammates Kylee Botterman and Sarah Curtis of Michigan in second place (9.850). The Wolverines captured their second apparatus win with a 49.100 on the beam. MSU posted a 48.475 team mark.
Sophomore Shanthi Teike turned in a 9.875 to lead the Spartans on the floor exercise. Botterman claimed the floor crown as she posted a 9.950 mark. Madison Merriam of Penn State and Joanna Sampson of Michigan followed in a tie for second (9.925). Michigan posted a 49.525 on the floor to earn the event win. The Spartans finished the event with a score of 48.775.
Freshman Dani Levy turned in MSU's top all-around score with a 38.925. Musser captured the all-around crown with a 39.475. Merriam and Fernandez each earned a 39.275 to tie for second place.
The Spartans wait to see if they qualify for the NCAA Regionals on April 2. Institutions hosting regionals for the top-36 schools include the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), the University of Georgia (Athens, Ga.), Oregon State University (Corvallis, Ore.), the University of Denver (Denver, Colo.), University of Oklahoma (Norman, Okla.) and University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.).
Players Mentioned
