Michigan State University
Illinois
Spartans Post Season-High 196.325 against No. 13 Illinois
2/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Final Stats
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State scored a season-high in a 196.500-196.325 loss to Illinois at Huff Hall on Friday. It is the highest team score MSU has posted since beating New Hampshire 196.350-193.475 on March 9, 2008. Today's competition was to vie for the Victory Plank, therefore did not count toward Big Ten standings. The Spartans move to 6-5 overall, 2-3 in the Big Ten.
"We are very excited about the team's performance tonight," said head coach Kathie Klages. "We hit 24 for 24 plus two exhibition routines to make it 26 for 26. Lisa had another outstanding all-around competition; winning bars and tying for first on floor. Nicola Deans had her highest all-around score of her career. We welcomed back Alina Cartwright to beam tonight and hope to get her back in the all around soon."
In typical road format, the Spartans started on bars, scoring a 49.025 as a team. Junior Lisa Burt led the team, scoring first with a career-high 9.925. Senior Alina Cartwright tallied a second-place finish with a career-best 9.875. This is just the third meet that Cartwright has competed in after an injury held her out of competition since the season opener at Bowling Green on Jan. 10. Junior Nicola Deans tied for third on the event, increasing her season average with a 9.850.
Moving to vault, the Spartans were led by Deans, who placed second with a 9.850. Freshman Victoria Huehn followed Deans, tying for third with a career-high 9.825. Burt marked a 9.800 for a fifth-place finish, while sophomore Elena Lagoski tied freshman teammate Anna Gamelo for seventh with a 9.775. The Spartans achieved a 49.025 as a team on vault.
Burt and Lagoski shared first-place on floor with a 9.900, tying Burt's career high. This marks Lagoski's third 9.900 of the season, trailing two career-high 9.950s. Sophomore Holly Ryan and sophomore Kira Frederick tied for fourth place, each earning a 9.875, a career high for Ryan. As a team, the Spartans posted a season-high 49.400 on the event, the highest score since scoring a 49.300 at Iowa on Jan. 18.
In the final rotation of the day, MSU notched a season-high 48.875 on beam. Ryan and Cartwright tied for sixth place on the event, each tallying a 9.800. Coming back from injury, this is Cartwright's first time competing on beam since the 2014 season. Huehn secured eight place with a 9.775 while junior Brittany Holmes and Burt tied for ninth with a 9.750.
Burt finished second in the all-around competition, scoring a 39.375. It is her third second-place finish of the year, alongside four first place finishes. Deans placed third all-around for the first time in her career, scoring a career-best 39.225. Tonight was the first time Deans has competed all-around since scoring a then-career-high 39.175 against Minnesota on Jan. 24.
"It was such a close meet," said Klages. "With a few stuck beam dismounts, we could have caught the 13th ranked team in the nation!"
The Spartans return to the competition floor on Sunday, Feb. 22 as they take on the UIC Flames at 3 p.m. ET in Chicago, Ill. at the UIC Pavilion.
Players Mentioned
