Wolverines Knock Off No. 5 PSU, Puerto Rican National Team

Friday, March 7

San Juan, Puerto Rico

6:00 PM AT

Michigan

Puerto Rico National Team, #5 Penn State

Wolverines Knock Off No. 5 PSU, Puerto Rican National Team

3/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

March 8, 2014

Site: San Juan, Puerto Rico (Pedrin Zorilla Coliseum)
U-M Team Standing: 1st Place of 3 Teams (438.80)
U-M Records: 17-0, 10-0 B1G
Next U-M Meet: Friday, March 14 -- vs. Penn State (Cliff Keen Arena), 3:30 p.m.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics squad, behind the nation's top floor exercise score from junior Stacey Ervin (Taylor, Mich./Truman) of 16.10, defeated No. 5 Penn State and the Puerto Rican National Team on Friday (March 7) at Pedrin Zorilla Coliseum with a team score of 438.80.

Michigan began the night on floor, where Ervin notched the first 16-plus floor score in the country this season. Senior Sam Mikulak (Corona del mar, Calif./Corona del mar) returned the NCAA action with a 15.60 on the exercise as U-M scored a stellar 76.10, which was just .10 off the team's season high.

After a pommel-horse score of 70.85 that was paced by junior Nick Hunter (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) and his 14.80, the Maize and Blue scored a 72.95 on still rings. Mikulak and classmate Jordan Gaarenstroom (Laguna Hills, Calif./Halstrom) tied for the squad lead with 15.10.

On vault in rotation four, Mikulak tallied a 15.30 on the table, while freshman Tristian Perez-Rivera (Caugas, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame), competing on home soil, collected a 15.20. Sophomore Konner Ackerman (Des Moines, Wash./Mount Rainier), returning from injury, scored a 15.00.

On parallel bars, senior Syque Caesar (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Lincoln Park Academy) led the Wolverines with a 15.50 followed by a 15.05 from Hunter to aid in the total of 73.50 on the event. Michigan closed out its night on high bar, where Caesar scored a 14.70 to seal the victory over the Nittany Lions, who scored a 428.550.

The Wolverines return to home action inside the friendly confines of Cliff Keen Arena Friday (March 14) at 3:30 p.m. The meet will be shown live via the Big Ten Network.

U-M Finishers

FLOOR EXERCISE (76.10)Stacey Ervin           16.10Sam Mikulak            15.60Syque Caesar           15.55Tristian Perez-Rivera  14.90Anthony Stefanelli     13.60 POMMEL HORSE (70.85)Nick Hunter            14.80Nolan Novak            14.55Dylan James            14.15Matt Freeman           13.75A.J. Schottstaedt      13.60 STILL RINGS (72.95) Sam Mikulak            15.10Matt Freeman           14.00Jordan Gaarenstroom    15.10Colin Mahar            14.70Paul Rizkalla Jr.      14.00 VAULT (74.70) Sam Mikulak            15.30Tristian Perez-Rivera  15.20Anthony Stefanelli     14.00Paul Rizkalla Jr.      15.20Konner Ackerman        15.00 PARALLEL BARS (73.50)Sam Mikulak            14.25Syque Caesar           15.50Nick Hunter            15.05Jordan Gaarenstroom    14.30Mark Panhorst          14.40 HIGH BAR (70.70)Stacey Ervin           14.20Syque Caesar           14.70Nick Hunter            14.75Matt Freeman           13.35Konner Ackerman      13.70