Record Crowd Sees Wolverines Topple Intrastate Foes

Friday, February 6

Ann Arbor, Mich.

8:00 PM

Michigan

State of Michigan Classic

2/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team hosted the State of Michigan Classic tonight (Friday, Feb. 6) at Crisler Arena and issued a convincing win in this annual battle with a final tally of 197.125. Central Michigan (195.650) was a distant runner-up, followed by Michigan State (195.525) Eastern Michigan (193.675) and Western Michigan (193.375). U-M broke its regular-season home attendance record for the second straight week with a total of 4,089 fans, the third largest overall home crowd in school history.

Bruck had top-five finishes on the bars, beam and floor.

Senior/junior Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS) celebrated her 22nd birthday with a first-place finish in the all-around, compiling a 39.575 that tied her season best. Senior Calli Ryals (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS), on the strength of a 39.100, also made the podium in fifth.

Sophomore Becca Clauson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham HS) began the meet for Michigan with a vault boasting both height and a good landing, culminating in a 9.675. Freshman Clare Flannery's (Ossining, N.Y./School of the Holy Child HS) vault netted a 9.750, while senior Christine Mantilia (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan HS) continued the upward trend in Wolverine scoring with a season-high 9.825. Freshman Carol McNamara (Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) hurtled down the runway next, vaulting a personal-best 9.850. In the penultimate spot, Ryals dazzled with a 9.925 that set a home season high. Ray anchored Michigan's first rotation with another quality effort, a 9.875. The Maize and Blue amassed a team total of 49.225, a score good enough to put them in the lead after the first rotation, with Michigan State (49.000) and Central Michigan (48.975) close behind.

Junior Chelsea Kroll (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny HS) soared on her release, but some minor difficulties limited Michigan's opening routine on the uneven bars to a 9.775. Freshman Lindsey Bruck (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus HS) continued to perform well, earning a season-high 9.850. Ryals, on the wings of a sky-high dismount, swung her way to a stellar 9.900. Ray equaled Ryals with a 9.900, and sophomore Jenny Deiley (Dayton, Minn./Elk River HS) contributed a 9.825. Closing out the rotation, junior Lauren Mirkovich (Burlingame, Ca./Notre Dame HS) delivered Michigan's third score of 9.900. All three scores of 9.900 tied to set the current home season high. Their performances helped the Wolverines to an event total of 49.375, which gave Michigan an overall score of 98.600 and a slim lead over Central (98.350).

Kroll performed steadily to open for the Wolverines on the balance beam, tallying a 9.775. Junior Kara Rosella (Ann Arbor, Mich./Greenhills School) put forth a routine good enough for a season-high 9.725, while Bruck followed with a 9.850 for the Wolverines. Likewise, Clauson performed well enough to earn a season-high 9.850. Ryals encountered some uncharacteristic troubles, but Ray delivered in the clutch, scoring a solid 9.875. Michigan's beam total, 48.550, increased its overall score to 147.675, nearly a full point ahead of its nearest pursuer, MSU (146.825).

First up for the Wolverines on floor exercise was McNamara, who led things off with a 9.800. Mantilla's floor routine generated a 9.825, while Clauson's superb tumbling elicited a 9.875 from the judges. The judges rewarded Bruck with a 9.900 after a strong performance. Ray treated the fans to an exceptional floor exercise, a 9.925, and Ryals finished the meet in winning form, earning Michigan its second 9.925. All gymnasts executed their finest routines of the season. Ray and Ryals matching 9.925s were another team best this season. The Wolverines' clutch performance on the floor earned them a total of 49.450, an overall score of 197.125, and a convincing victory.

The Wolverines will be back in action at Crisler Arena next Saturday (Feb. 14) against the University of Utah. The competition begins at 7 p.m.

Final Results

Team Scores	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
1. MICHIGAN	49.225	49.375	49.075	49.450	197.125
2. Central Michigan	48.375	48.925	48.975	49.375	195.650
3. Michigan State	48.825	49.000	48.700	49.000	195.525
4. Eastern Michigan	48.850	48.300	47.725	48.800	193.675
5. Western Michigan	48.275	48.525	48.100	48.475	193.375

Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores

ALL-AROUND Elise Ray 39.575 (1) Calli Ryals 39.100 (5) VAULT Becca Clauson 9.675 Clare Flannery 9.750 Christine Mantilia 9.825 Carol McNamara 9.850 (4) Calli Ryals 9.925 (1) Elise Ray 9.875 (2) UNEVEN BARS Chelsea Kroll 9.775 Lindsey Bruck 9.850 (4t) Calli Ryals 9.900 (1t) Elise Ray 9.900 (1t) Jenny Deiley 9.825 Lauren Mirkovich 9.900 (1t) BALANCE BEAM Chelsea Kroll 9.775 Kara Rosella 9.725 Lindsey Bruck 9.850 (4t) Becca Clauson 9.850 (4t) Calli Ryals 9.350 Elise Ray 9.875 (1t) FLOOR EXERCISE Carol McNamara 9.800 Christine Mantilia 9.825 Becca Clauson 9.875 Lindsey Bruck 9.900 (4t) Elise Ray 9.925 (2t) Calli Ryals 9.925 (2t) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Bev Plocki
On the team's performance ... "I'm really excited to have two weeks in a row that have done so well. The crowds have been spectacular and I'm so excited. We're doing this well now, and our best gymnastics is still in front of us. I'm really excited about how this team is shaping up."

U-M Co-Captain Elise Ray
On her performance at the meet ... "It went really well. It was an exciting meet because there are so many teams. It's fast-paced, it's energetic and it's fun to compete that way. I think our whole team had a lot of energy and we felt really good."

Contact: Jessica Steyers (734) 763-4423