Michigan
Elevate the Stage
Michigan Ties Denver for Elevate the Stage Win
2/23/2018 10:10:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
» Senior Paige Zaziski won the all-around with a career-high 39.575.
» Michigan came back from being down .275 after the third rotation.
» U-M improved to 10-1-1 on the year.
Site: Toledo, Ohio (Sea Gate Centre)
Event: Elevate the Stage
Score: No. 6 Michigan 196.575, No. 12 Denver 196.575, No. 37 Utah State 195.325, No. 38 Bowling Green 194.750
Records: U-M (10-1-1), Denver (12-3-1), Utah State (6-6), Bowling Green (3-9)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 3 -- at Oklahoma (Norman, Okla.), 4 p.m. CST
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TOLEDO, Ohio -- For the second straight week, the No. 6 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team rallied in the final rotation for a win, this time coming back to tie No. 12 Denver for the top score at the Elevate the Stage meet at Sea Gate Centre on Friday (Feb. 23).
The Wolverines were behind by .275 as they headed into floor exercise, similar to their comeback from a .300 deficit a week ago. Michigan was led on floor by senior Brianna Brown and sophomore Lexi Funk, who each scored a 9.900 to help the team post a 49.275.
Senior Paige Zaziski had a big night for the Maize and Blue; she set a career high to win the all-around with a 39.575. The score bested her previous high of 39.450 and gave her the all-around win for the second time this season. She won vault with a 9.925 and bars with a 9.900 while finishing third on beam with a 9.875 and sixth on floor with a 9.875.
"I am trying to soak up every moment I can as a Wolverine because it is going to end soon," said Zaziski. "We had such a great time competing on podium tonight. It was a lot of fun."
Denver finished on vault with a 49.000, an event that had low scores across the board on Friday night as the Pioneers notched the highest total on the apparatus. Michigan utilized its 49.275 on floor to remain undefeated in the last four meets. Coming from behind is not something the Wolverines want to become accustomed to, but it does show the make-up of the 2018 team.
"We have a lot of fight," said Zaziski. "We are not going to give up. We are going to keep fighting until the very end and that is what we have been doing."
Funk took third in the all-around with a 39.300. She tied for second on floor with her third 9.900 in the last four weeks.
Brown earned a victory on beam with a 9.900 for her second win on the event this season. She also had a 9.900 on floor to tie a career best and finish tied for second.
U-M posted its second-highest road score of the season and improved to 10-1-1 overall. The RQS rankings will take effect for the first time this week, so Michigan was looking to tally a good road score.
The Wolverines will travel to Norman, Oklahoma, next Saturday (March 3) to face Oklahoma, the top team in the nation, at 4 p.m. CT.
