Michigan
Super Six Challenge
Michigan Gymnasts Place Third at Super Six Challenge
1/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Site:Â Athens, Ga. (Stegeman Coliseum)
Event:Â #4 Michigan at Super Six Challenge
U-M Team Finish:Â 3rd Place of 6 Teams (194.925)
Attendance:Â 9,934
Next U-M Match:Â Saturday, Jan. 15 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CST
ATHENS, Ga. -- The fourth-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team opened its 2000 season at the Super Six Challenge on Saturday (Jan. 8) against five of the top nine-ranked teams in the nation, and the Wolverines placed third with a score of 194.925. Before a sellout crowd of 9,934 at the University of Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum, Michigan pushed No. 2-ranked Alabama and No. 1 Georgia down to the final rotation before succumbing by a slight margin.
Following a bye in the first rotation, the Wolverines opened up the competition on the floor exercise with a score of 49.075. Michigan's strong performance was led by two freshmen and two sophomores. Freshman Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS), in her first collegiate competition, paced the Wolverines with a 9.900, while fellow freshman Cami Singer (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) delivered a 9.800. Sophomore Jodie Rosenberg (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS), also competing in her first collegiate meet, scored a 9.800, while fellow sophomore Melissa Peterson (Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission West HS) scored a career-best 9.825.
The Maize and Blue moved on to the vault and delivered a solid showing as well. Unlike the floor exercise, it was Michigan's veterans that paced it on the vault. Senior Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS) led the Wolverines with a 9.850, while junior Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) provided a 9.800. After two rotations, Michigan stood in second place with a running score of 97.750, trailing Alabama's 98.050 and ahead of defending national champion Georgia, which had 97.025.
Michigan's young squad continued its strong effort on one of college gymnastics' biggest stages with a score of 49.100 on the uneven bars. Cain again came up big for the Wolverines with a mark of 9.875. Freshman Tara Tagliarino (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant HS), another Wolverine competing for the first time, came up with a 9.825. In fact, the Wolverines' top five scores on the balance beam all notched 9.800 or better. Michigan's strong showing on the uneven bars left it needing a 48.900 on the balance to overtake Alabama, which finished with a 195.750 on that rotation, for the victory.
Michigan began solidly on the balance beam and was paced by 1999 first team balance beam All-American Karina Senior (Markham, Ontario/Milliken Mills HS), who registered a 9.825. However, a couple of falls in the balance beam lineup left the Wolverines just shy. Michigan closed with a 48.075 on balance for a final tally of 194.925, finishing third behind Alabama (195.750) and Georgia (195.400). The Wolverines defeated No. 6 Nebraska (193.325), No. 3 UCLA (193.225) and No. 9 Florida (193.025).
The Wolverines next travel to the University of Minnesota on Saturday (Jan. 15) to face the Golden Gophers in a a 7 p.m. CST dual meet. Michigan opens its home campaign on Thursday (Jan. 20, 7 p.m.) against instate rival Michigan State at Cliff Keen Arena.
Final Results
TEAM SCORES Vault Bars Beam Floor Total 1. Alabama 48.875 49.325 48.375 49.175 195.750 2. Georgia 49.225 49.250 47.775 49.150 195.400 3. MICHIGAN 48.675 49.100 48.075 49.075 194.925 4. Nebraska 48.475 48.625 47.750 48.450 193.325 5. UCLA 49.025 48.775 46.275 49.075 193.300 6. Florida 48.425 48.050 48.950 49.200 193.225 ALL-AROUND Sarah Cain 38.725 (7) Karina Senior 37.525 VAULT Janessa Grieco 9.650 Amy Kuczera 9.625 Karina Senior 9.650 Sarah-Elizabeth Langford 9.725 Christine Michaud 9.800 (T8) Sarah Cain 9.850 (T4) UNEVEN BARS Tara Tagliarino 9.825 Amy Kuczera 9.800 Kate Nellans 9.800 Karina Senior 8.300 Bridget Knaeble 9.800 Sarah Cain 9.875 (T6) BALANCE BEAM Janessa Grieco 9.775 (T6) Cami Singer 9.750 (T8) Shannon MacKenzie 9.400 Karina Senior 9.825 (T4) Kate Nellans 9.125 Sarah Cain 9.325 FLOOR EXERCISE Jodie Rosenberg 9.800 Melissa Peterson 9.825 Cami Singer 9.800 Janessa Grieco 9.900 (T2) Karina Senior 9.750 Sarah Cain 9.650 ( ) denotes place in the Top 10
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Bev Plocki
On Michigan's performance ... "I am pleased overall because we had quite a few first-time collegiate competitors and they came up big for us. From that sense I thought we had an excellent meet against big-time competition.
On the performance of Michigan's youth ... "Our athletes that were competing for the first time really did a nice job. Especially when you consider the environment they made their debuts in makes me very proud of these girls."
NOTES
• Making their collegiate debuts were sophomores Jodie Rosenberg and Amy Kuczera and freshmen Janessa Grieco, Cami Singer and Tara Tagliarino.
• The Super Six Challenge, televised by ESPN, will air on tape delay on ESPN2 on Sunday, Jan. 16 (3 p.m.) and again on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 23 (2 p.m.).
• Michigan is now 4-3 all-time vs. UCLA and 4-4 vs. Florida.
Players Mentioned
