Women Gymnasts Cruise to Victory
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
March 14, 1998
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Led by senior Briony Lecky, in her last home performance at Jenison Field House, the Michigan State women's gymnastics team defeated Ohio State and Western Michigan on Sat., March 14, with a school record 196.375. Ohio State claimed second with a 192.075 while Western Michigan scored 190.300 to finish third.
MSU started off with a 48.425 on the vault to open the meet and moved on to the uneven bars, scoring a 49.150, the fourth-best score in State history. Then it was on to the beam, where Michigan State threw the best performace in school history with a 49.375. Sophomore Polly Kiker (9.875), junior Carolyn Hecht (9.950) and Lecky (9.875) all set career highs in succession. Hechts 9.950 broke her own school record of 9.925 set earlier in the season. Capping off the meet, the Spartans hit the third-best score in school history with a 49.325. Lecky, the last gymnast of the meet to compete on the floor, hit a near-perfect routine, scoring a 9.975 to set a new school record.
This was an amazing meet, said MSU head coach Kathie Klages. I see this kind of performance every day in practice. We've just been waiting to see if the gymnasts could bring it to a meet. Briony Lecky capped off a great career here at Michigan State with a terrific performance. It was great to set the school record in our last home meet. It gives us great momentum going into the Big Ten meet next weekend.
Competing in just her second all-around of the year, Lecky scored the third-highest all-around in school history with a 39.350 to win the event. Freshman Elisabeth Forshier won the vault again, her seventh victory in MSUs last eight meets. Hecht took the balance beam and tied for first on the bars.
This meet was awesome, said Lecky. It was more than I ever could have asked for. Setting the record on the floor in my last home meet was the best feeling. I think the momentum of this meet will definitely help us next weekend at the Big Ten Championships.
For their next meet, the Spartans travel to Iowa City, Iowa for the Big Ten Championships on March 21 at 6 p.m.