
Spartans Score Season-High Saturday In Win Over Maryland
2/5/2022 10:12:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State gymnastics registered its season-high for the second-straight meet with a 196.875, topping Maryland's 195.950 Saturday night at the Jenison Field House. MSU celebrated both Alumni Night and National Girls and Women In Sports Night, honoring several alumni on hand after the meet.
The 196.875 betters the Spartans' previous season-best of 196.775 just set last time out, at defending national champion Michigan on Jan. 30.
After Saturday night's first rotation, MSU recognized the Spartan field hockey, rowing, softball and volleyball teams for National Girls and Women In Sports Night. Those teams, along with the MSU Club Fencing team were on hand for demonstrations and meet-and-greet with fans before the meet.
The Spartans collected all four event titles, with senior Ashley Hofelich opening the night winning vault, the first of her two event wins on the night. That was followed by junior Jori Jackard capturing the bars crown, leading a 1-2-3 Spartan sweep, for her second bars win of the season. Freshman Gabrielle Stephen recorded her second 9.950 of her freshman campaign, this time on beam, to match the second-best score in program history on the apparatus. Stephen collected her third event title of the season, but first on beam with the previous two coming on vault, including her 9.950 to perfectly hit her start value vs. Iowa on Jan. 22. Hofelich completed the night and secured the Victory for MSU with a 9.925 to anchor floor, tying her career-high for the second meet in a row and third time this season, leading a second Spartan event sweep with the top three marks.
Maryland's Audrey Barber garnered all-around honors with a 39.300, while Spartan freshman Skyla Schulte was second with a 38.950, just ahead of Stephen in third with a 38.850.
Michigan State started off on vault, with Hofelich notching a career-high 9.925, her first score of 9.900 or higher in her career. Stephen was tied for second with a 9.875, while sophomore Baleigh Garcia tied for fourth, posting a 9.850 to tie her season and career-high for the second-straight week. With a team total of 49.275, the Spartans recorded the second-highest vault score in program history.
On bars for the second rotation, Jackard registered a career-high tying 9.925, for her second score of 9.900 or higher in the last three weeks, after a previous season-best 9.900 last home meet on Jan. 22 vs. Iowa. Jackard's second win of the season on bars joined her 9.850 to win the Bowling Green/Illinois State tri-meet.
Moving to beam for the third rotation, Stephen and Garcia went 1-2, with Stephen posting her 9.950 in the third position, for her second 9.900 or higher of the year. Garcia anchored the lineup with her 9.900, as she now has notched a 9.900 or higher in all five meets this season.
Wrapping up the night on floor, senior Sydney Ewing led off with a 9.850, followed by fifth-year Lea Mitchell with a 9.875, good for second-place. Sophomore Delanie Harkness was in the number three spot in the lineup and tallied a 9.850 to match Ewing in score and take third place. Hofelich completed MSU's official floor lineup with her winning score of 9.925, for her third event title of the year and sixth of her Spartan career.
Michigan State gymnastics will have a busy weekend next week with two meets, opening on the road next Friday, February 11 at 7 p.m. in a tri-meet with Western Michigan at Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant. Following Friday's meet, the Spartans return home to Jenison Field House to host Illinois on Sunday, Feb 13 at 4 p.m.
Fans are welcomed back to Spartan gymnastics under Michigan State's Vaccination Policy for Spectators.
The 196.875 betters the Spartans' previous season-best of 196.775 just set last time out, at defending national champion Michigan on Jan. 30.
After Saturday night's first rotation, MSU recognized the Spartan field hockey, rowing, softball and volleyball teams for National Girls and Women In Sports Night. Those teams, along with the MSU Club Fencing team were on hand for demonstrations and meet-and-greet with fans before the meet.
The Spartans collected all four event titles, with senior Ashley Hofelich opening the night winning vault, the first of her two event wins on the night. That was followed by junior Jori Jackard capturing the bars crown, leading a 1-2-3 Spartan sweep, for her second bars win of the season. Freshman Gabrielle Stephen recorded her second 9.950 of her freshman campaign, this time on beam, to match the second-best score in program history on the apparatus. Stephen collected her third event title of the season, but first on beam with the previous two coming on vault, including her 9.950 to perfectly hit her start value vs. Iowa on Jan. 22. Hofelich completed the night and secured the Victory for MSU with a 9.925 to anchor floor, tying her career-high for the second meet in a row and third time this season, leading a second Spartan event sweep with the top three marks.
Maryland's Audrey Barber garnered all-around honors with a 39.300, while Spartan freshman Skyla Schulte was second with a 38.950, just ahead of Stephen in third with a 38.850.
Michigan State started off on vault, with Hofelich notching a career-high 9.925, her first score of 9.900 or higher in her career. Stephen was tied for second with a 9.875, while sophomore Baleigh Garcia tied for fourth, posting a 9.850 to tie her season and career-high for the second-straight week. With a team total of 49.275, the Spartans recorded the second-highest vault score in program history.
On bars for the second rotation, Jackard registered a career-high tying 9.925, for her second score of 9.900 or higher in the last three weeks, after a previous season-best 9.900 last home meet on Jan. 22 vs. Iowa. Jackard's second win of the season on bars joined her 9.850 to win the Bowling Green/Illinois State tri-meet.
Moving to beam for the third rotation, Stephen and Garcia went 1-2, with Stephen posting her 9.950 in the third position, for her second 9.900 or higher of the year. Garcia anchored the lineup with her 9.900, as she now has notched a 9.900 or higher in all five meets this season.
Wrapping up the night on floor, senior Sydney Ewing led off with a 9.850, followed by fifth-year Lea Mitchell with a 9.875, good for second-place. Sophomore Delanie Harkness was in the number three spot in the lineup and tallied a 9.850 to match Ewing in score and take third place. Hofelich completed MSU's official floor lineup with her winning score of 9.925, for her third event title of the year and sixth of her Spartan career.
Michigan State gymnastics will have a busy weekend next week with two meets, opening on the road next Friday, February 11 at 7 p.m. in a tri-meet with Western Michigan at Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant. Following Friday's meet, the Spartans return home to Jenison Field House to host Illinois on Sunday, Feb 13 at 4 p.m.
Fans are welcomed back to Spartan gymnastics under Michigan State's Vaccination Policy for Spectators.
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