Michigan
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State of Michigan Classic
Wolverines Claim State of Michigan Classic Title
2/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Site: Kalamazoo, Mich. (University Arena)
Event: #2 Michigan at State of Michigan Classic
U-M Team Finish: 1st Place of 5 Teams (196.425)
Records: Michigan (10-2, 3-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 1,173
Next U-M Meet: Friday, Feb. 11 -- vs. Georgia (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The second-ranked Michigan women's gymnastics team won its fourth straight meet and ran its record to 10-2 with a first-place finish at the State of Michigan Classic behind a team score of 196.425 on Sunday (Feb. 6) at Western Michigan University. Michigan senior tri-captain Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS), who sat out the floor exercise lineup for the first time this season, keyed the Michigan victory by placing first on the vault (9.950), uneven bars (9.875) and balance beam (9.925).
Michigan notched its second-best team vault score of the season with a mark of 49.150 as four Wolverines placed among the top five. Cain paced the attack on the vault with a first-place finish behind her second straight 9.950 score on that event. Vaulting specialist Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) placed in the top five for the fourth straight meet on the vault with a score of 9.825, which was good for a third-place tie. Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) and Sarah-Elizabeth Langford (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) tied for fifth (9.800) to join Cain and Michaud in the top five on the vault.
Though Michigan struggled slightly on the uneven bars, the Wolverines still managed the meet's best team score with a mark of 48.875. Cain won the uneven bars (9.875) for the third straight meet and was followed by fellow tri-captain Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS), who placed third (9.775). Karina Senior (Markham, Ontario/Milliken Mills HS) and Amy Kuczera (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park HS) rounded out another Wolverine foursome in the top five as they tied for fourth on the bars (9.750).
For the fourth consecutive meet Michigan owned the best team score on the balance beam and recorded a 49.000 or better with a 49.275. Again Cain led a Michigan lineup which placed four individuals among the top five places as she registered a personal season-best 9.925 for the win. Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS), a 1999 second team All-American on the balance beam, came through with her third straight great routine on the beam and tied for second (9.875). Freshman Cami Singer (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) matched a career high with a mark of 9.850 to place fourth, while Melissa Peterson (Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission West HS), who scored a career-high 9.950 on the beam a week ago, again delivered on the beam to tie for fifth with a score of 9.825.
Michigan's solid team effort continued on the floor exercise as the Maize and Blue notched a 49.125. For the fourth straight meet, Senior won the floor exercise (9.900) as she led another Michigan lineup which landed four individuals in the top five. Senior was followed up by Grieco as the Wolverine freshman nailed a 9.850 to finish runner-up. Sophomore Jodie Rosenberg (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) joined Knaeble as fifth-place finishers on the floor with a score of 9.800 to round out Michigan's top five placers on the floor exercise.
The Wolverines return home to face No. 3 and defending national champion Georgia on Friday (Feb. 11) at 7 p.m. at Crisler Arena. Georgia and Michigan finished first and second, respectively, at the 1999 NCAA Championships.
Final Results
TEAM SCORES Vault Bars Beam Floor Total 1. Michigan 49.150 48.875 49.275 49.125 196.425 2. Michigan State 48.325 48.725 48.600 48.675 194.325 3. Western Michigan 48.125 46.800 48.875 48.575 192.375 4. Central Michigan 48.700 46.975 47.225 48.750 191.650 5. Eastern Michigan 48.200 45.375 47.425 48.900 188.900
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
VAULT Bridget Knaeble 9.700 Janessa Grieco 9.800 (t5) Karina Senior 9.775 Sarah-Elizabeth Langford 9.800 (t5) Christine Michaud 9.825 (t3) Sarah Cain 9.950 (1) UNEVEN BARS Kate Nellans 9.700 Amy Kuczera 9.750 (t4) Karina Senior 9.750 (t4) Tara Tagliarino 9.725 Bridget Knaeble 9.775 (3) Sarah Cain 9.875 (1) BALANCE BEAM Janessa Grieco 9.375 Cami Singer 9.850 (4) Shannon MacKenzie 9.875 (t2) Kate Nellans 9.800 Melissa Peterson 9.825 (t5) Sarah Cain 9.925 (1) FLOOR EXERCISE Jodie Rosenberg 9.800 (t5) Melissa Peterson 9.775 Cami Singer 9.775 Bridget Knaeble 9.800 (t5) Janessa Grieco 9.850 (2) Karina Senior 9.900 (1) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5
NOTES
• Karina Senior has scored a 9.900 or higher for three straight meets.
• The Wolverines, who own the top team average on the floor exercise in the nation (49.231), have now scored a 49.000 or better in all five meets this season.
• Freshman Janessa Grieco, who placed runner-up on the floor exercise (9.850), has now finished among the top five on that event in all five meets this season.
• Michigan has now defeated Michigan State twice this season. The Wolverines also dumped the Spartans 196.750-192.850 on Jan. 20 in Michigan's home opener at Cliff Keen Arena.
• Michigan's team score of 196.425 is a University Arena record at Western Michigan.
Players Mentioned
