Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan Hangs Tough in Final Rotation to Beat Gophers
1/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team continued its season-opening road trip against No. 17 Minnesota today (Saturday, Jan. 17). Senior Calli Ryals (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS) and junior Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS) finished 2-3 in the all-around for the second straight week in a 194.650-193.975 road victory.
Senior Christine Mantilia (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan HS) led off for the Wolverines on the uneven bars with a clean routine and a stuck dismount, scoring 9.675. Junior Chelsea Kroll (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny HS) recovered well from an early mistake to add a 9.350. Freshman Lindsey Bruck (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus HS) stuck her difficult double-front dismount for a 9.525. Ryals and Ray earned the two highest scores for U-M, scoring 9.800 and 9.850, respectively. Freshman Carol McNamara (Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) competed on the uneven bars for the first time in her collegiate career, earning a 9.650 to close out the rotation for the Wolverines. On vault, the Gophers tallied a 48.200 to the Wolverines' 48.500.
In the second rotation, Michigan moved to the vault while the Gophers went to the uneven bars. Mantilia again performed in the leadoff position, scoring a 9.675. Bruck follwed with a 9.575, while sophomore Becca Clauson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham HS) earned a 9.650. McNamara (9.775), Ryals (9.750) and Ray performed clean Yurchenko-full vaults to end the rotation well for the Wolverines. Ray's stuck landing and near-perfect body position earned her first place on the event with a 9.850, bringing the Wolverines' event total to 48.600. Meanwhile, Minnesota's Mary Skokut anchored the Gophers on the uneven bars with a 9.900, earning her the event title. The Gophers' 48.825 kept the meet within .075 at the hafway point, with Michigan leading 97.100-97.025.
Kroll performed her first floor routine of the season (9.725) to start off the third rotation for the Wolverines. Freshman Clare Flannery (Ossining, N.Y./School of the Holy Child HS) had a clean routine going until a mistake on her last pass held her score to a 8.800. Bruck got things back on track for Michigan as the third competitor, landing her three tumbling passes cleanly to earn a 9.850. Minnesota native Clauson, performing in front of friends and family, danced to a 9.825. Ray captured the attention of the 2,157 in attendance with her elegant routine, scoring 9.875, a score Ryals matched with her own dramatic routine. The Wolverines' 49.125 bested last week's performance at Nebraksa by almost a full point. On the balance beam, the Alicia Opsahl (9.875) and Mary Skokut (9.850) helped the Gophers to a 48.975 team event total.
Going into the fourth rotation, the Wolverines held a slim lead on the Gophers, 146.225-146.000. However, the Wolverines faced the balance beam while Minnesota took to a typically safer event, floor exercise. Kroll, known for clean and consistent beam performances, scored a 9.725 to start the rotation off on a good note. Kara Rosella (Ann Arbor, Mich./Greenhills HS) hung tough in the second position, fighting for every tenth of her 9.700 score. Though she fell on her mount, Bruck demonstrated mental toughness and tenacity, refusing to wobble during the remainder of her routine. Minnesota scored three straight 9.800 scores on floor, putting the pressure was on the remaining Wolverines. Clauson and Ryals responded with scores of 9.825 and 9.800, respectively. Though the Wolverines suffered another fall from the final competitor, the team's 48.425 event total was enough for the victory.
Michigan takes on Big Ten conference rival Iowa Saturday (Jan. 24) in the last competition of its three-meet road trip. The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST in Iowa City, Iowa.
Final Results
| Team Scores | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. MICHIGAN | 48.600 | 48.500 | 48.425 | 49.125 | 194.650 |
| 2. Minnesota | 48.200 | 48.825 | 48.975 | 47.975 | 193.975 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
ALL-AROUND Calli Ryals 39.225 (2) Elise Ray 38.900 (3) Lindsey Bruck 38.225 (5) VAULT Christine Mantilia 9.550 Lindsey Bruck 9.575 Becca Clauson 9.650 Carol McNamara 9.775 (3) Calli Ryals 9.750 (4) Elise Ray 9.850 (1) UNEVEN BARS Christine Mantilia 9.675 Chelsea Kroll 9.350 Lindsey Bruck 9.525 Calli Ryals 9.800 (5) Elise Ray 8.850 (2) Carol McNamara 9.650 BALANCE BEAM Chelsea Kroll 9.725 Kara Rosella 9.700 Lindsey Bruck 9.275 Becca Clauson 9.825 (3) Calli Ryals 9.800 (4) Elise Ray 9.325 FLOOR EXERCISE Chelsea Kroll 9.725 Clare Flannery 8.800 Lindsey Bruck 9.850 (4) Becca Clauson 9.800 Elise Ray 9.875 (1t) Calli Ryals 9.875 (1t) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5
Contact: Jessica Steyers (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
