Wolverines Coast by No. 12 Iowa in Home Opener

Friday, January 30

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

347.900

321.550

Iowa

1/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #3 Michigan 347.900, #12 Iowa 321.550
Records: U-M (6-1), Iowa (1-6)
Attendance: 493
Next U-M Meet: Thu-Sat., Feb. 5-7 -- at Winter Cup Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.), 1 p.m. PST

Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team cruised past Iowa by a score of 347.900-321.550 on Friday night (Jan. 30) at Cliff Keen Arena. Event titles by senior Scott Bregman(Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) on the floor exercise (14.850), sophomore Chris Cameron(Winter Haven, Fla./Lake Region) on pommel horse (15.000) and parallel bars (14.700), and sophomore Thomas Kelley(Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) on still rings (14.650) and high bar (15.000) led the Maize and Blue to victory.

U-M took the lead in the initial rotation and never relinquished it. The squad's 26.350 margin of victory is the largest of the season.

Michigan took a commanding 57.450-50.450 lead over Iowa after the first rotation, with four Wolverines posting scores of 14.000 or better on the floor exercise. Freshman Syque Caesar(Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Lincoln Park Academy), Bregman, senior Jamie Thompson(Lakemont, Ga./Oconee County) and Kelley earned 14.500, 14.850, 14.100 and 14.000, respectively, to boost the Maize and Blue ahead of Iowa's pommel-horse performances.

The Wolverines held their lead 115.000-106.500 after earning a 57.550 on pommel horse in the second rotation. Cameron paced Michigan with a 15.000 on the apparatus, while freshman Devan Cote(Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline) earned the night's second-highest score (14.400) in his collegiate debut.

Kelley led the Wolverines on the still rings during the third rotation, registering the night's top score (14.650). Iowa edged closer to Michigan after a strong performance on vault (61.050), but the Maize and Blue still commanded the overall lead, 173.100-167.550, after earning a 58.100 on the rings.

In the fourth rotation, U-M moved to the vault, earning a 60.150 on the apparatus. Iowa garnered a score of 51.150 on the rings, leaving Michigan ahead by 14.550 points (233.250-218.700). On the vault, the Wolverines were led by Kelley's 15.250 -- the third-best score of the night -- as well as junior Mel Anton Santander(Southborough, Mass./Algonquian Regional) and Thompson, who each registered a 15.000 on the event to tie for fifth place.

Michigan garnered a 57.000 on parallel bars, and Iowa received a 53.100 on high bar during the fifth rotation to nearly give U-M a 20-point lead (290.250-271.800) over the Hawkeyes. Cameron earned a 14.700 on the apparatus, and junior Ryan McCarthy(Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) had a 14.350 to round out the event's top scores.

The Wolverines further increased their lead over the Hawkeyes after stellar performances on the high bar. Led by Kelley's evening-best 15.00, Michigan finished with the top five scores on the event. After garnering a collective 57.650 on high bar, U-M defeated Iowa by a final score of 347.900-321.550.

Next Thursday-Saturday (Feb. 5-7), the Wolverines will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Winter Cup Classic. The event will kick off at 1 p.m. PST.

Tonight's event will be televised on tape delay by Big Ten Network on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m.

Team Standings

Team Scores	FX	PH	SR	VT	PB	HB	TOTAL
MICHIGAN	57.450	57.550	58.100	60.150	57.000	57.650	347.900
Iowa	56.050	50.450	51.50	61.050	49.750	53.100	321.550

Event-by-Event U-M Individual Scores

 FLOOR EXERCISE Syque Caesar 14.500 (2) Mel Santander 13.950 Scott Bregman 14.850 (1) Jamie Thompson 14.100 (5) Thomas Kelley 14.000 (6) Ian Makowske 13.700 POMMEL HORSE Phil Goldberg 13.800 (4) Adam Hamers 14.350 (3) Mel Santander 12.800 Devan Cote 14.400 (2) Ryan McCarthy 13.550 (6) Chris Cameron 15.000 (1) RINGS Torrance Laury 12.600 Thomas Kelley 14.650 (1) Mel Santander 14.300 (4) Phil Goldberg 14.600 (2) Chris Cameron 14.550 (3) VAULT Syque Caesar 15.000 (t-5) Scott Bregman 13.350 Torrance Laury 13.900 Mel Santander 14.900 Jamie Thompson 15.000 (t-5) Thomas Kelley 15.250 (3) PARALLEL BAR Devan Cote 13.700 (5) Syque Caesar 13.900 (4) Mel Santander 13.600 (6) Ryan McCarthy 14.350 (2) Chris Cameron 14.700 (1) Thomas Kelley 14.050 (3) HIGH BAR Devan Cote 14.050 (t-4) Jamie Thompson 12.250 Mel Santander 14.050 (t-4) Ryan McCarthy 14.300 (t-2) Chris Cameron 14.300 (t-2) Thomas Kelley 15.000 (1)