Michigan
Maize and Blue Intrasquad (ex)
Blue Team Edges Maize in Intrasquad Competition
12/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Event: Maize and Blue Intrasquad
Score: Blue 8, Maize 4
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 2 -- at Cancun Classic (Cancun, Mexico)
Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team took to the floor at Crisler Arena for the first time this season at the Maize and Blue Intrasquad on Friday (Dec. 12) with the Blue team pulling out an 8-4 victory in front of the Wolverine faithful.
Rather than traditional gymnastics scoring, the Wolverine routines were critiqued by a panel of celebrity judges, featuring Ann Arbor radio personalities Sam Webb and Andy Evans (Sports Talk 1050 WTKA), head football coach Rich Rodriguez and his daughter Raquel and Michigan football players Brandon Graham, Zoltan Mesko and Nick Sheridan.
The meet opened with a bang with senior Huneth Lor(Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) of the Blue team leading the way on vault and Maize team seniors Becky Bernard(Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) and Tatjana Thuener-Rego (Miami, Fla./American School) earning two points for the Maize squad on the uneven bars, making it 2-2 heading into the second rotation. Mesko directed the Crisler faithful to the arena's video scoreboard for a special bars routine he had recorded earlier, giving Thuener-Rego some helpful hints for her final collegiate season.
The Blue team pushed its lead to 5-2 with a sweep on bars in the second rotation, led by Lor, junior Sarah Curtis(Reno, Nev./Reno) and sophomore Trish Wilson(Naperville, Ill./Nequa Valley). Sheridan had some tips for sophomore Kylee Botterman(New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) on the vault, while Graham helped Wilson with a video tutorial on the board, which the sophomore took extensive notes on.
The Maize team pulled within two points in the third rotation, trailing 6-4 after balance beam, helped by stellar performances from Curtis, Lor and junior Jaclyn Kramer(West Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills). Botterman did her best for the Maize team with a great floor exercise routine, earning praise from Mesko, whose own floor routine shown to the fans in attendance put the crowd on its feet.
In the final rotation, the Blue team held on with great work on floor, led by Kramer, who helped seal the meet with the first routine. Graham applauded Curtis' efforts on floor and showed his own highlight tape for head coach Bev Plocki, earning credibility points from both the Maize and Blue teams even if he fell short of a scholarship offer.
Michigan begins the regular season at the Cancun Classic on Friday, Jan. 2, 2009, competing against LSU, North Carolina and Boise State in Cancun, Mexico.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
