Michigan State University
Alabama
No. 12 Michigan State Sets Program-Best Season-Opening Team Score at No. 7 Alabama
1/6/2023 9:59:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - No. 12 Michigan State opened the 2023 season with a 196.550 team score at No. 7 Alabama Friday night in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide posted a score of 196.975 to take the win, while the MSU trio of freshman Sage Kellerman, sophomore Gabi Stephen and junior Baleigh Garcia claimed event titles for the Spartans.Â
MSU's 196.550 broke the Spartans' season-opening program-best team score for the third consecutive year, topping last season's score of 195.975. The Spartans also recorded scores of 49.000 or higher on every event for the first time in a season opener. Overall, the team score ties for 15th-all time at Michigan State. Â
The Spartans opened the meet on bars, posting four scores of 9.800 or higher and totaling a team score of 49.075. MSU was led by freshman Nikki Smith in her Spartan debut, scoring a 9.875. Junior Delanie Harkness anchored the Spartans with a 9.850, while freshman Olivia Zsarmani was the second Spartan to make her debut, posting a score of 9.825. Sophomore Skyla Schulte scored a 9.800.Â
MSU posted a 49.300 team score on vault, recording the third-highest score in program history on the event. Kellerman and Stephen each scored 9.900s to tie for the event title with Alabama's Makarri Doggette. MSU's entire vault lineup scored a 9.800 or higher, with Nikki Smith adding a 9.850, Schulte and Garcia adding 9.825s, and senior Nyah Smith scoring a 9.800. Â
Stephen posted her second 9.900 of the night on floor, tying her career high and claiming a share of second place on the event with Schulte. Nikki Smith scored a 9.850 to close out her impressive Spartan debut. Floor was the second-highest scoring event for the Spartans on the night, tallying a team total of 49.175.Â
MSU ended the night on beam with Garcia registering a 9.900 to share the beam title with Alabama's Luisa Blanco, who was the 2021 NCAA individual champion on beam. Stephen posted a 9.825 on the event. Michigan State logged a team score of 49.000 on beam. Â
Stephen placed third in the all-around with a score of 39.350 behind Blanco (39.575) and Doggette (39.375). Schulte's 39.200 placed fifth.Â
Alabama moves to 1-0 with Friday's win, while Michigan State drops to 0-1.Â
The Spartans stay on the road for their next action, facing No. 31 N.C. State in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4 p.m. The meet will stream on ACC Network Extra.Â
Beyoncé AND Saweetie? Nikki Smith is bringing the HEAT in her first collegiate floor routine 🔥 @MSU_Gymnastics I @espnW pic.twitter.com/B0V1pE8JqR
— ESPN (@espn) January 7, 2023
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