Mitchell Wins All-Around in Conference Home-Opener Against No. 14 Ohio State

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Gymnastics posted season-high scores, and sophomore Lea Mitchell won the all-around in the Spartans' Big Ten home-opener against No. 14 Ohio State Sunday at Jenison Field House.

The Buckeyes won the dual by a score of 196.200-195.225.

Mitchell tallied a new personal best 9.900 on the floor exercise, and tied her personal best of 9.825 on the vault on the way to scoring a season-high 39.100 in the all-around. In addition to winning the all-around, Mitchell tied for top honors on vault and floor.

The Spartans set a new season-high as team with the 195.225, topping the 195 mark for the first this season, helped by season-high scores of 49.125 on the floor and 48.800 on vault. MSU was just .025 from a season-high on beam with a 48.750, and scored 48.550 on bars.

"We started off with a season-high on vault today, and that was a good way to get the momentum going," MSU head coach Mike Rowe said. "I'm excited, I think the kids are starting to gain confidence overall, and especially as a vaulting squad. We got some great performances on the floor from Lea (Mitchell) and Ella (Douglas), and I loved to see Molly (Hoerner-O'Malley) set a career-high on bars as a senior. We're continuing to improve on most of our events each week, and that's the goal."

Ohio State scored 49.000 on bars, 48.975 on vault, 49.125 on floor and 49.100 on beam for the winning score of 196.200.

Sunday was the 13^th-annual Jan Howard Breast Cancer Awareness meet presented by Sparrow Health Systems, dedicated in memory of Jan Howard, mother of alumni gymnast (1990-1995) and current Director of Student-Athlete Development with MSU Athletics Student-Athlete Support Services, Angela (Howard) Montie.

The MSU gymnastics team, coaches, fans and staff all wore pink at the meet Sunday in support of breast cancer awareness.

"This event is for such a great cause, and continuing this in honor of Angela Montie's mother is heartwarming," Rowe said. "There can never be too much awareness brought to breast cancer, and just cancer as a whole. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer, and we truly believe in continuing to support it."

Starting on vault, MSU was led by the 9.825 from Mitchell, followed closely by a career-high tying 9.800 from junior Gabriella Douglas. Senior Roya Shirley scored a season-high 9.750, sophomore Ashley Beatty posted a 9.725 and freshmen Ashley Hofelich and Jenna Wicker each tallied a 9.700.

Moving to bars for the second rotation, senior Molly Hoerner-O'Malley posted a personal best of 9.800 to lead MSU, while Shirley wasn't far behind with a season-high 9.775. Mitchell and sophomore Tristan Brown both received a 9.675, and freshman Sydney Ewing turned in a 9.625.

Douglas was the top Spartan on beam, tying her season-high with a 9.850. Freshman Alaina Raybon posted a 9.825, while junior Alexandra Hoyer received a season-high 9.775 along with a 9.700 from Mitchell.

Finishing on floor, the Spartans were led by the personal best 9.900 from Mitchell, along with a 9.875 from Douglas, tying a career-high. Freshman Ashley Hofelich tied her personal best with a 9.825, and Brown posted a season-high 9.775.

"I've been working really hard, and it felt amazing to go out there and prove to my teammates and myself I can do this," Mitchell said. "I've been working so hard to get a 9.900 (on floor) and Coach (Curler) Jones has always told me to believe in myself and know I can do it. I was really happy and she was so happy, so that felt great."

The Spartans continue their Big Ten schedule with a dual at Minnesota on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.

Mitchell Wins All-Around in Conference Home-Opener Against No. 14 Ohio State

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Players Mentioned

Ashley Beatty

Tristan Brown

Gabriella Douglas

Sydney Ewing

Molly Hoerner-O'Malley

Ashley Hofelich

Alexandra Hoyer

Lea Mitchell

Alaina Raybon

Roya Shirley

Jenna Wicker