Gymnastics Dominates Competition At Rutgers

March 8, 2003

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Michigan State gymnastics team finished first of four teams at Rutgers, posting a 195.450 - the second highest score of the season. Finishing in second place was host Rutgers (193.700), while Yale and Brown round out the meet with a 191.900 and 191.500, respectively.

Freshman Sarah Alexander (Kernersville, N.C.) posted a 9.975 on the floor exercise to win the event and match the school record. The mark was first set in 1998 by Briony Lecky and had been matched by Poll Kiker and Melissa Green - both during the 2000 season. Alexander also set the second-highest score in school history in the all-around with a 39.425 - just .025 off of the program's highest tally of 39.450 set by Carolyn Hecht in 1996.

As a team, Michigan State posted a 49.400 on the floor exercise. That is the third best score in program history - just .100 off of the program record, which was set in 1997 at the NCAA Regionals.

Michigan State posted a 1-2-3 sweep of the floor exercise, led by Alexander's 9.975 first-place finish. Senior Julie Devaty (North Olmstead, Ohio) garnered a second-place finish with a 9.900 and sophomore Anna Hunsinger (Elizabethtown, Ky.) claimed third with a 9.875.

Sophomore Lauren Simpson (Fenton, Mich.) won the vault event with a 9.850, leading the way as MSU claimed two of the top three spots on the event, Alexander finishing in a tie for third with a 9.775.

Alexander and Simpson claimed two of the top three spots in the all-around competition. Behind Alexander's winning score of 39.425 was Simpson and her third-place finish of 39.175.

The Spartans will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., on Saturday (March 15) to take on the Panthers at 7 p.m.