Michigan
N.C. State Quad
Michigan Comes Back with Historic Beam Performance
2/17/2018 9:52:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan matched the third-highest beam score (49.475) in school history to close out the victory.
» Junior Emma McLean clinched the win with her collegiate debut on beam (9.875).
» Senior Brianna Brown won on uneven bars with a career-high 9.950.
Site: Raleigh, N.C. (Reynolds Coliseum)
Score: #6 Michigan 196.775, #29 N.C. State 196.575, #34 North Carolina 196.050, #64 Brown 192.450
Records: Michigan (8-1), NC State (11-6), UNC (3-5), Brown (3-10)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 23 -- Elevate the Stage Meet vs. Bowling Green, Denver and Utah State (Toledo, Ohio), 7 p.m.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Trailing by three tenths heading into the final rotation, Michigan put together one of the best beam performances in school history to come from behind for the victory at the NC State quad meet on Saturday (Feb. 17).
"We aren't happy about having to count a fall, but that being said, I told them at the end I couldn't be prouder of them," said head coach Bev Plocki. "What I hoped we learned from this is even if things don't seem to be going your way, you are still in control of how you finish. It was a pretty amazing finish."
N.C. State had the 0.300 lead on Michigan and the Wolfpack was heading to floor exercise, while the Wolverines were on their way to arguably the hardest event to score big on in the balance beam. The start of the rotation, sophomore Lexi Funk and senior Paige Zaziski, got U-M off to a great start with back-to-back 9.900 scores.
After a fall, Michigan's last three knew they needed to step up. Sophomore Polina Shchennikova followed her win last week with another great routine for a 9.875. Senior Lauren Marinez put forth her best routine of the year for a 9.925 and that left junior Emma McLean in the anchor spot. McLean had never competed on beam in college and was making her debut. She was also competing in the all-around for the first time in her career.
"I told Bev I always want to have a party on floor so might as well have a party on beam," said McLean. "That lightened the mood."
The junior showed composure, went up and hit her first skill. When she hit that skill, her face lit up with a giant smile. She gained confidence as the routine went on and ended up closing it out, and after her dismount she jumped up and down with her hands in the air and was mobbed by her teammates with a giant group hug.
"Emma showed incredible leadership," said Plocki. "To be put into the anchor spot, have a fall and come out and have the routine she is capable of was huge. She has only done one exhibition last week and got thrown into it this week."
"I just did what I do in practice," said McLean. "I smiled because I was happy and it helped make the routine more fun. I am so proud of our team. What matters is we kept it together and kept fighting. That's what is important. We have a small team, but we are small and mighty."
When the score came in, McLean made her debut with a 9.875 to clinch the victory for U-M. She ended with a score of 35.875 in her collegiate all-around debut. She was the happiest anyone could be with an all-around score like that.
"I am very happy," said McLean. "After bars I had to scratch it real quick. I wasn't sure I was even going to have to go because I was the anchor. Brianna fell and she always has someone else's back after a fall and always hits, so I had the opportunity to pick her up and did so."
The quad meet provided a new challenge for the Wolverines. It was the first time this season in a non-dual format so the time between competitors was reduced with all four teams competing at once. Michigan also drew a start on floor exercise, the first time in 2018 starting on an event other than vault or uneven bars.
The different start did not phase the U-M, however, as it started out the meet with a 49.100. The floor rotation included a 9.900 for McLean and a 9.875 for Funk. It was McLean's sixth score of 9.900 or better in seven meets this season.
Starting on floor gave Michigan a boost as it headed into vault and U-M put up a season-high score of 49.425. Three straight Wolverines scored 9.900 to close out the rotation with freshman Syd Townsend, Zaziski and McLean all hitting big on their vaults. Brown also matched a career best with a 9.875 and Shchennikova set a new career high with a 9.850.
Michigan's toughest event on the day was bars as they had a score of just 48.775. Within the rotation though, Brown had a huge routine that earned a 9.950 from the judges. It was a season high for Brown and matched a career best.
Much like U-M's last meet, every member on the team continued to step up after injuries. Six of the seven gymnasts who competed for Michigan on Saturday scored a 9.900 or better with several hitting career highs. Four of the seven competed in all four events with Funk earning the highest score, a career-high 39.300.
The Wolverines will compete on podium for the first time in 2018 on Friday (Feb. 23) when they travel to Toledo, Ohio, for the Elevate the Stage meet against Bowling Green, Denver and Utah State at the Sea Gate Centre.
Players Mentioned
