U-M Tops Minnesota and Nebraska, Falls to Oklahoma

Saturday, February 21

Norman, Okla.

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

218.225

221.475

Oklahoma

2/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team placed second out of four teams Saturday (Feb. 21) at the University of Oklahoma's McCasland Field House. The Wolverines scored a season-high 218.225 and defeated No. 8 Nebraska (213.875) and No. 9 Minnesota (210.700) but fell short to No. 3-ranked Oklahoma's season-high score of 221.475.

Michigan began its best performance so far this season with a strong showing on the floor exercise led by sophomore Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS), who scored a 9.30, followed by fellow sophomore Luke Bottke (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) and junior Eddie Umphrey (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS), who each tallied a 9.25. Laury continued his top marks on the pommel horse by scoring a 9.45, followed by sophomore Andrew DiGiore (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School) with a 9.20 and freshman Aaron Rakes (Lexington, Ky./Dunbar HS) with a 9.10.

Rings proved to be another solid event for the Wolverines, where Laury and Umphrey turned in rock-solid performances, scoring 9.50 and 9.45, respectively. Junior Geoff Corrigan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer HS) also contributed to the team score with a consistent 9.00. Umphrey paced the team on vault, posting a 9.20, followed closely by Corrigan and Bottke, each with a 9.15.

After four rotations Michigan was in second place behind Oklahoma by only four-tenths of a point. Parallel bars, an event which has been inconsistent for the Wolverines thus far this season, was their lowest scoring event. Corrigan led the team with a score of 8.90. Michigan finished the meet with a solid performance on the high bar, led again by Corrigan, who scored a 9.20, followed by Brian Berends (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) and Laury, who each scored a 9.05.

The effort fell short of catching the Oklahoma Sooners, who went on to win the meet and capture their record-setting 48th consecutive victory. In his best all-around performance so far this season, Laury won the all-around and broke Michigan's record, previously held by Daniel Diaz-Luong, by scoring a 55.15. Again absent from the Wolverines' lineup was standout redshirt freshman Andre Hernandez (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock HS). Hernandez, one of Michigan's most consistent performers, sat out due to a knee injury.

The Wolverines have a week off from competition as they travel to Palo Alto, Calif., next week to train at Stanford University. They return to competition Saturday, March 6, when they travel to meet the No. 6-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Michigan returns to Cliff Keen Arena for its last home meet on Saturday, March 13, to host the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

Final Team Standings

Team Scores	FX	PH	SR	V	PB	HB	Total
1. Oklahoma	37.225	37.375	36.025	36.80	36.70	37.35	221.475
2. MICHIGAN	36.90	36.80	36.70	36.60	34.925	36.30	218.225
3. Nebraska	36.275	35.05	35.65	36.70	35.70	34.50	213.875
4. Minnesota	35.10	35.90	35.225	36.275	34.70	33.50	210.700

Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores

FLOOR EXERCISE Brian Berends 8.65 Gerry Signorelli 9.10 Luke Bottke 9.25 (5t) Geoff Corrigan 8.95 Eddie Umphrey 9.25 (5t) Justin Laury 9.30 (4) POMMEL HORSE Aaron Rakes 9.10 Kevin George 8.15 Gerry Signorelli 9.00 Geoff Corrigan 9.05 Andrew DiGiore 9.20 Justin Laury 9.45 (3) STILL RINGS Andrew Elkind 8.25 Aaron Rakes 8.75 Brian Skvarla 8.15 Geoff Corrigan 9.00 Eddie Umphrey 9.45 (4) Justin Laury 9.50 (3) VAULT Gerry Signorelli 9.10 Luke Bottke 9.15 Eddie Umphrey 9.20 (5t) Geoff Corrigan 9.15 Justin Laury 9.00 Andrew DiGiore 9.05 PARALLEL BARS Chris Gatti 8.40 Andrew Elkind 8.05 Aaron Rakes 8.825 Geoff Corrigan 8.90 Eddie Umphrey 7.55 Justin Laury 8.80 HIGH BAR Chris Gatti 8.75 Brian Berends 9.05 Gerry Signorelli 8.50 Geoff Corrigan 9.20 Aaron Rakes 9.00 Justin Laury 9.05




All Around
Justin Laury 55.15 (1)
 () denotes top five place