Michigan
Maui Invitational
Ray Wins Bars Title as Wolverines Place Third in Maui
1/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
WAILUKU, Hawaii -- Sophomore Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS) was nearly perfect with a career-high 9.975 on the uneven bars in capturing the first event title of the season, and Amy Kuczera (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park HS) finished second with a 9.875 on the same event. However, that served to be a highlight of the evening as the University of Michigan women's gymnastics team finished third at the Maui Invitational on Friday (Jan. 4).
Michigan, ranked third in the GymInfo preseason coaches poll, posted a 49.275 on the uneven bars but suffered five falls on the beam and had a tough time on the vault on the way to scoring 193.625 in front of a crowd of 512 fans at War Memorial Gymnasium. No. 17 Arizona won the competition with a score of 194.650, No. 13 Oklahoma was second (194.425) and Sacramento State finished fourth (187.400).
The Wolverines (1-2, 0-0 Big Ten) opened the meet on vault. In her first collegiate vault, senior captain Jodie Rosenberg (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) led the way with a 9.700, while sophomore Calli Ryals (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS) was second best on the team with a 9.675. Scores of 9.50 by junior Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS), freshmen Lauren Mirkovich (Burlingame, Calif./Notre Dame HS) and Kallie Steffes (Naperville, Ill./Central HS) helped the team to a 48.325.
The team posted its best rotation score on uneven bars with a 49.275. Ray's event-winning score of 9.975 included a 10.0 by one of the two judges and set a career high on the event. Kuczera was second on the bars with a 9.875. Ryals posted a 9.825, while Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) and Steffes each recorded a 9.800.
The team posted a 47.050 on the balance beam because of five falls on the event. Grieco posted the high score for the team with a 9.750, while Ray was second on the team with a 9.400.
In the final event of the evening, freshman Ali Rudisi (Mississauga, Ontario/Loyola Catholic SS) opened the rotation with a 9.650 in the floor exercise, her first career event. Continuing her strong meet, Rosenberg posted a 9.850 to lead the Wolverines on the floor. Ryals tallied the same mark as the final competitor of the day.
Michigan returns home from Hawaii for its first home meet of the season, against Northern Illinois on Sunday (Jan. 13) at 2 p.m. in Cliff Keen Arena.
Final Results
| Team Scores | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. Arizona | 49.075 | 48.425 | 48.125 | 49.025 | 194.650 |
| 2. Oklahoma | 48.825 | 48.300 | 48.300 | 49.000 | 194.425 |
| 3. MICHIGAN | 48.325 | 49.275 | 47.050 | 48.975 | 193.625 |
| 4. Sacramento State | 46.375 | 48.700 | 44.700 | 47.625 | 187.400 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
ALL-AROUND Elise Ray 38.600 (t4) Calli Ryals 38.600 (t4) Kallie Steffes 38.600 (t4) VAULT Janessa Grieco 9.650 Jodie Rosenberg 9.700 Lauren Mirkovich 9.650 Kallie Steffes 9.650 Elise Ray 9.500 Calli Ryals 9.675 UNEVEN BARS Kallie Steffes 9.800 Shannon MacKenzie 9.800 Jodie Rosenberg 9.275 Amy Kuczera 9.875 (2) Calli Ryals 9.825 (t5) Elise Ray 9.975 (1) BALANCE BEAM Kara Rosella 9.200 Kallie Steffes 9.350 Janessa Grieco 9.750 (t4) Shannon Mackenzie 9.300 Calli Ryals 9.250 Elise Ray 9.400 FLOOR EXERCISE Ali Rudisi 9.650 Jodie Rosenberg 9.850 (t4) Melissa Peterson 9.750 Kallie Steffes 9.800 Elise Ray 9.725 Calli Ryals 9.850 (t4) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5
N O T E S
Elise Ray's streak of meets with an all-around score of at least 39.000 ends at 10, a Michigan record.
Q U O T E S
Senior Captain Jodie Rosenberg
On the meet ... "It's good to get back into the swing of things. It was really exciting to get back on the floor and compete. I am really excited about the season. We didn't have the best meet tonight, but it's early in the season and gives us something to build on. We're really excited about having our first home meet next week because it will be good to have all of our fans there watching us."
On the trip and competing in Maui ... "It was exciting to have the opportunity to come out here, and having everyone together on the road was a good way to start our season. It really help make the team a lot closer and helped us jell for the season."
On the opportunities provided by the Leaders and Best Award ... "We really appreciate having a chance to experience a lot of things because of the money Larry Johnson donated with the Leaders and Best Award. It's been a nice reward for all of the hard work we have put in at school and at practice. It's good to be recognized for doing things other than gymnastics."
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
