Wolverines' Late Surge Not Enough to Overcome No. 2 Oklahoma

Saturday, February 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

354.000

354.450

Oklahoma

Wolverines' Late Surge Not Enough to Overcome No. 2 Oklahoma

2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

Feb. 20, 2010

Complete Results | Photo Gallery

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #2 Oklahoma 354.450, #3 Michigan 354.000
Records: U-M (7-2), Oklahoma (7-0)
Attendance: 651
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb, 27 -- at Stanford (Palo Alto, Calif.), 7 p.m. PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team fell to the No. 2-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, 354.450-354.000, on Saturday (Feb. 20) despite a sweep of the top four in the last rotation on the high bar inside Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines were led by event wins from senior Mel Anton Santander (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) on the pommel horse and junior Thomas Kelley (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) on the rings and high bar. Kelley also finished second in the all-around with a season best, 87.250.

The Wolverines began on the floor exercise where sophomore Syque Caesar (Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Lincoln Park) started the night off with a bang, recording a career-best 15.150 and electrifying the crowd inside Cliff Keen. Kelley added a 14.850 to help Michigan tie its season-best score (59.300) on the floor exercise.

Fifth-year co-captain Phillip Goldberg (Dalton, Ga./McCallie) was solid and steady as usual in the leadoff position on the pommel horse, giving the Wolverines a season-best 13.950. Santander put in a career-best effort that was nearly flawless for a 15.050 and the event title. After two events, the Wolverines trailed the Sooners, 115.950-117.800.

In rotation three, the Wolverines moved to the still rings where Kelley posted U-M's highest score, tying his career best with a 15.200. Goldberg added a 15.150 to lift Michigan to a 59.150 on the event. Kelley and Goldberg finished 1-2 for Michigan on the rings. Meanwhile, the Sooners boomed four vaults, posting a 63.200 on the event to push their lead to 181.000-175.100.

The Wolverines started to make up ground on vault in rotation four, posting a 62.550, a total that would have been Michigan's third best total a year ago, bringing Michigan within striking distance. Fifth-year senior Kent Caldwell (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin) stuck his one-and-a-half twisting vault for a career-best 16.000 and second place on the event. Santander performed a clean double twisting vault (15.600) and received fifth place in his first appearance on the event this season.

However, the Wolverines could not keep the momentum going on the parallel bars, posting only a 55.900 in the fifth rotation. Kelley and Santander were Michigan's highest scorers with marks of 14.600 and 14.000, respectively. Going into the last rotation, the Wolverines trailed 297.000-293.550.

In the final rotation, the Wolverines finally found their form with Kelley, fifth-year Ryan McCarthy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) and Santander taking the top three spots on the high bar. Kelley amazed the crowd, capping off a near-perfect set with a stuck full twisting double layout dismount. McCarthy nailed his double flipping release move over the bar for a career-best 15.150, while Santander set his second career best of the night on the high bar for a routine that had only six-tenths of point in deductions. The season-best total, 60.450, was too late and not enough to catch the Sooners.

The Wolverines take on No. 4 Stanford Cardinal next Saturday (Feb. 27) in Palo Alto, Calif. at 7 p.m. PST.

Team Standings	FX	PH	SR	VT	PB	HB	Total
Oklahoma	61.050	56.750	57.850	63.200	57.450	58.150	354.450
MICHIGAN	59.300	56.650	59.150	62.550	55.900	60.450	354.000

FloorRohan Sebastian          14.150Syque Caesar             15.150 (3)Thomas Kelley            14.850 (5)Ian Makowske             14.400Ben Baldus-Strauss       14.600Kent Caldwell            14.700
Pommel HorsePhillip Goldberg         13.950Rohan Sebastian          12.700Mel Anton Santander      15.050 (1)Ben Baldus-Strauss       12.800David Chan               14.850 (3)Adam Hamers              12.400Thomas Kelley *          11.900
Still RingsRohan Sebastian          14.100Chris Cameron            14.700 (3T)Mel Anton Santander      13.700Phillip Goldberg         15.150 (2)Thomas Kelley            15.200 (1)
VaultRohan Sebastian          15.550Ben Baldus-Strauss       15.400Mel Anton Santander      15.600 (5)Kent Caldwell            16.000 (2)Thomas Kelley            15.300David Chan               14.300
Parallel BarsRohan Sebastian          13.500Syque Caesar             13.000Mel Anton Santander      14.000Thomas Kelley            14.600 (2)Ryan McCarthy            13.800David Chan               13.200
High BarChris Cameron            13.000Ben Baldus-Strauss       14.450Mel Anton Santander      15.100 (3)Ian Makowske             14.800 (4)Thomas Kelley            15.400 (1)Ryan McCarthy            15.150 (2)
All AroundThomas Kelley            87.250 (2)

*Indicates exhibition performance for all-around competition

N O T E S

• The Wolverines tied their season best on the floor exercise and vault, posting a 59.300 and 62.550, respectively. U-M also set a season best on the high bar with a 60.450, a total that would have been Michigan's best last season.

• Sophomore Syque Caesar set a new career-best 15.150 on the floor exercise.

• Junior Ben Baldus-Strauss made his season debut on the floor exercise, recording a 14.600.

• Senior Mel Anton Santander set a new career best on both the pommel horse (15.050) and high bar (15.100)

• Senior Kent Caldwell set a career-best 16.000 on the vault.

• Junior Thomas Kelley posted a season-best 15.400 on the high bar.

• Senior Ryan McCarthy set a career best on the high bar, receiving a 15.150.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Kurt Golder
On the team's performance ... "We dug a lot of holes; we dug more holes than we could get ourselves out of [today]. We did really well when the pressure really was on and it look nearly impossible to pull it out. The guys really performed on high bar. If we could have performed like we did on the high bar on one more event, I think we could have won."

On facing the second-ranked team in the country ... "I think we were ready for them. I don't think it had a negative effect; it's definitely the strongest team we've faced, but I don't think we were intimidated. I don't think they were either. Two good teams squared off, and we made a few more mistakes than they did and it cost us the meet."

On next week's dual meet against #4 Stanford ... "We have to regroup. Stanford is last year's NCAA champions. Of course, it's a different year, but Stanford's loaded. They're deep. It'll be another meet just like this. Both team's will be so close, it's a matter of which one has the best meet."

On the best performance of the evening ... "The most outstanding performance tonight was Kent Caldwell on the vault. It's relatively new vault for him and he stuck it cold."

Contact: Scott Bregman (734) 763-4423