Michigan
Maryland
Cain, Wolverines Leave Maryland Shell-Shocked
2/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #2 Michigan 197.275, #20 Maryland 193.000
Records: Michigan (11-4, 3-0 Big Ten), Maryland (9-7)
Attendance: 913
Next U-M Meet: Friday, Mar. 3 -- at Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.), 7:30 p.m. PST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The second-ranked Michigan women's gymnastics team snapped a short two-match losing streak, crushing No. 20 Maryland 197.275-193.00 on Saturday (Feb. 26) in Cliff Keen Arena for its seventh victory over a ranked opponent this season. The victory improved Michigan's record to 11-4, while the Terrapins dropped to 9-7.
The Wolverines placed in the top three positions for all four events. Senior Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS) continued to be the star, sweeping the all-around with a season-high score of 39.750.
Michigan got off to an early lead after the first rotation. The Wolverines posted a 49.275 on the vault. Cain led the way with her fifth consecutive first-place finish of 9.950. Junior Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) placed second with 9.875. Junior Karina Senior (Markham, Ontario/Milliken Mills HS) tied her season high at 9.825 to tie for third. Five of the top six spots on the vault went to Michigan gymnasts.
Michigan dominated on the uneven bars with a season-high score of 49.450. The team swept the top five spots to increase its lead after the second rotation. Cain and junior Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) tied for first place with scores of 9.925. Senior set a career high with a 9.900 to finish third.
After the third rotation, Michigan continued to pad its lead, scoring 49.000 on the beam. Michigan garnered four of the top five places on that event, with Cain leading the way with 9.925. Senior finished second with 9.875. Sophomore Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) took third with a mark of 9.825.
Michigan closed out the final rotation with a season-best mark of 49.550. Cain completed her sweep in all four events, taking first place with a season-high 9.950. Freshman Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) and Senior tied for second, with scores of 9.925. Michigan's other three gymnasts in the floor exercise lineup -- Jodie Rosenberg (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS), Melissa Peterson (Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission West HS) and Knaeble -- completed the Wolverines' domination on that event by tying for fifth place (9.875).
The Wolverines head back to the road next weekend to face a pair of top-25 teams on the West Coast. The Maize and Blue battle No. 23 Arizona on Friday (March 3, 7:30 p.m. PST) before moving on to Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday (March 5, 2 p.m. PST) to face No. 4 UCLA.
Final Results
TEAM SCORES Vault Bars Beam Floor Total 1. Michigan 49.275 49.450 49.000 49.550 197.275 2. Maryland 48.575 48.650 47.075 48.700 193.000
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
ALL-AROUND Sarah Cain 39.750 (1) Karina Senior 39.525 (2) VAULT Bridget Knaeble 9.750 Janessa Grieco 9.825 (t3) Karina Senior 9.825 (t3) Sarah-Elizabeth Langford 9.800 (t5) Christine Michaud 9.875 (2) Sarah Cain 9.950 (1) UNEVEN BARS Kate Nellans 9.850 (t4) Amy Kuczera 9.800 Cami Singer 9.850 (t4) Karina Senior 9.900 (3) Bridget Knaeble 9.925 (t1) Sarah Cain 9.925 (t1) BALANCE BEAM Janessa Grieco 9.725 (5) Cami Singer 9.325 Shannon MacKenzie 9.825 (3) Karina Senior 9.875 (2) Kate Nellans 9.650 Sarah Cain 9.925 (1) FLOOR EXERCISE Jodie Rosenberg 9.875 (t5) Bridget Knaeble 9.875 (t5) Melissa Peterson 9.875 (t5) Janessa Grieco 9.925 (t2) Karina Senior 9.925 (t2) Sarah Cain 9.950 (1) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5
NOTES
-- Michigan's final team score of 197.275 is its second highest this season.
-- This is the first time all season that Sarah Cain has won all five events in one meet. Cain's all-around score of 39.750 is tied for fourth-best score in the country among performances prior to this weekend's action.
-- Michigan's bar score of 49.450 is tied for the fifth best in school history. The score is also the team's season high.
-- The floor exercise score of 49.550 is a team season high. That score is also tied for fifth-best performance in school history.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Bev Plocki
On the meet overall ... "Obviously I was pleased with our performance. It was nice to come home and get a win. The thing I like most about this squad is its consistency. They come out and compete at a high level, week in and week out."
Senior All-Arounder Sarah Cain
On Michigan's performance ... "It was important for us to perform well at home. The last time at home, at Crisler [Arena], we did not deliver our best performance. However, today we got great performances throughout our lineup. It is a good feeling to perform so well in front of our fans."
Players Mentioned
