Sunday, February 16
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
196.150
vs
195.775
#23 Illinois
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Spartan Gymnastics Bests No. 23 Illinois on Alumni Day
2/16/2020 5:41:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
MSU earned team scores of 49.000 or better on three of the four events.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnastics posted a team score of 196.150 on the way to defeating No. 23 Illinois at Jenison Field House on Sunday afternoon. MSU scored above 49.000 on three of the four events, in addition to registering a season-high bars score of 49.125, to lead the Spartans past the No. 23-ranked Fighting Illini on Alumni Day.
MSU won the dual by a score of 196.150, while No. 23 Illinois posted a 195.775. This was the Spartans' second score of 196.000 or higher this season.
Michigan State tallied a 48.875 on vault, 49.125 on bars, 49.025 on beam and a 49.125 on floor for the team's final score of 196.150. Illinois registered a 48.900 on vault, 48.525 on bars, 49.400 on beam and a 48.950, tallying their final score of 195.775.
"It's thrilling because obviously you hope for moments like this, you work hard for moments like this. We've been trying to up our game and prove ourselves," MSU head coach Mike Rowe said. "We may be that Cinderella team in the Big Ten and surprise some people. When it starts happening one weekend at a time, it's really thrilling. We're still not satisfied with what we can do and what we can put out there. We know we can go 49.000-plus on all four events and when we put it all together, we're going to be unstoppable."
Junior Lea Mitchell captured her fifth all-around title of the season and third-consecutive top gymnast honor with a score of 39.300. Illinois' Karen Howell placed second with a 39.250, while Nicole Biondi took third with a 38.925.
Michigan State started the meet on vault with a team score of 48.875, while Illinois came out slightly on top with a score of 48.900. Mitchell tied her personal best with a 9.825 to tie for second. Senior Gabriella Douglas finished tied for fourth with a score of 9.800. Freshman Nyah Smith took sixth place with a 9.775. Biondi of Illinois captured the event title with a 9.850.
The Spartans earned a season-high on bars with a stellar score of 49.125, which was the third time this season that MSU topped the 49.000 mark. The season-best score is the highest by the Spartans since the team scored a 49.300 at the Big Five meet on March 17, 2018. The event was highlighted by a career-high from freshman Jori Jackard, who scored a 9.925 to capture the event title outright for her third bars title of the season. Jackard's mark ties for the fifth-best individual bars score in program history and highest since the 2018 season when Hailee Westney also captured a 9.925 at the Big Five meet on March 17. Sophomore Alaina Raybon also recorded a career-best mark with a 9.900 to take second. Smith was the third Spartan to register a career-high, taking fifth with a career-tying score of 9.775 to tie with Mitchell. Junior Tristan Brown placed seventh with a 9.750.
Taking to the beam for the third rotation, MSU tallied a score of 49.025. Mitchell was the top Spartan on beam, as she tied for fourth with Illinois' Biondi with matching 9.850's. Douglas and sophomore Alyssa Wiedeman tied for seventh with 9.825's, with Wiedeman tying her career-high. Junior Madison McHale posted a career-best 9.800 for ninth place. There was a three-way tie for first on beam as three Fighting Illini earned 9.900's. Karen Howell, Kylie Noonan and Shaylah Scott earned a share of the event title with 9.900's.
On floor for the fourth and final rotation, the Spartans earned a team score of 49.125 which was the Spartans' fifth floor score of 49.000 or better. The Spartan floor squad was led by five scores of 9.800 or higher. Sophomore Ashley Hofelich and Mitchell tied for top honors on floor with Illinois' Arayah Simmons as all three posted scores of 9.850. Douglas tied for fourth with three Illinois' gymnasts, registering a 9.825. Brown and freshman Chloe Bellmore tied for eighth with matching 9.800's.
UP NEXT
Michigan State gymnastics will compete at the Big Five  - Elevate the Stage meet next weekend at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. MSU will take the stage on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. with No. 24 Maryland, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Minnesota and Penn State.
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MSU won the dual by a score of 196.150, while No. 23 Illinois posted a 195.775. This was the Spartans' second score of 196.000 or higher this season.
Michigan State tallied a 48.875 on vault, 49.125 on bars, 49.025 on beam and a 49.125 on floor for the team's final score of 196.150. Illinois registered a 48.900 on vault, 48.525 on bars, 49.400 on beam and a 48.950, tallying their final score of 195.775.
"It's thrilling because obviously you hope for moments like this, you work hard for moments like this. We've been trying to up our game and prove ourselves," MSU head coach Mike Rowe said. "We may be that Cinderella team in the Big Ten and surprise some people. When it starts happening one weekend at a time, it's really thrilling. We're still not satisfied with what we can do and what we can put out there. We know we can go 49.000-plus on all four events and when we put it all together, we're going to be unstoppable."
Junior Lea Mitchell captured her fifth all-around title of the season and third-consecutive top gymnast honor with a score of 39.300. Illinois' Karen Howell placed second with a 39.250, while Nicole Biondi took third with a 38.925.
Michigan State started the meet on vault with a team score of 48.875, while Illinois came out slightly on top with a score of 48.900. Mitchell tied her personal best with a 9.825 to tie for second. Senior Gabriella Douglas finished tied for fourth with a score of 9.800. Freshman Nyah Smith took sixth place with a 9.775. Biondi of Illinois captured the event title with a 9.850.
The Spartans earned a season-high on bars with a stellar score of 49.125, which was the third time this season that MSU topped the 49.000 mark. The season-best score is the highest by the Spartans since the team scored a 49.300 at the Big Five meet on March 17, 2018. The event was highlighted by a career-high from freshman Jori Jackard, who scored a 9.925 to capture the event title outright for her third bars title of the season. Jackard's mark ties for the fifth-best individual bars score in program history and highest since the 2018 season when Hailee Westney also captured a 9.925 at the Big Five meet on March 17. Sophomore Alaina Raybon also recorded a career-best mark with a 9.900 to take second. Smith was the third Spartan to register a career-high, taking fifth with a career-tying score of 9.775 to tie with Mitchell. Junior Tristan Brown placed seventh with a 9.750.
Taking to the beam for the third rotation, MSU tallied a score of 49.025. Mitchell was the top Spartan on beam, as she tied for fourth with Illinois' Biondi with matching 9.850's. Douglas and sophomore Alyssa Wiedeman tied for seventh with 9.825's, with Wiedeman tying her career-high. Junior Madison McHale posted a career-best 9.800 for ninth place. There was a three-way tie for first on beam as three Fighting Illini earned 9.900's. Karen Howell, Kylie Noonan and Shaylah Scott earned a share of the event title with 9.900's.
On floor for the fourth and final rotation, the Spartans earned a team score of 49.125 which was the Spartans' fifth floor score of 49.000 or better. The Spartan floor squad was led by five scores of 9.800 or higher. Sophomore Ashley Hofelich and Mitchell tied for top honors on floor with Illinois' Arayah Simmons as all three posted scores of 9.850. Douglas tied for fourth with three Illinois' gymnasts, registering a 9.825. Brown and freshman Chloe Bellmore tied for eighth with matching 9.800's.
UP NEXT
Michigan State gymnastics will compete at the Big Five  - Elevate the Stage meet next weekend at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. MSU will take the stage on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. with No. 24 Maryland, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Minnesota and Penn State.
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Players Mentioned
Vault, Beam, Floor
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Bars, Beam, Floor
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Vault, Beam, Floor
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All-Around
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All-Around
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Bars, Beam
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