Michigan
Utah
Wolverines Fall for First Time This Season
3/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: #4 Michigan 196.325, #3 Utah 197.425
Records: U-M (18-1), Utah (11-1)
Attendance: 3,070
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 29 -- Big Ten Championships (Ann Arbor, Mich), 2 p.m.
Complete Results | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team fell one step shy of completing the first perfect regular-season in program history, losing for the first time all season, 197.425 -196.325 to No. 3 Utah, Saturday night (March 22) at Crisler Arena.
In the final regular-season meet of the year, Michigan fell behind early but had a puncher's chance of catching the streaking Utes until the final two routines on balance beam where the Wolverines suffered a pair of falls to seal the loss. Michigan finishes the regular season at 18-1 with a perfect 5-0 Big Ten record and will head into the Big Ten Championships next week as the top-ranked team in the conference.
Despite the loss, Michigan put up a respectable team score in front of a crowd of 3,070, led by junior Becky Bernard's(Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) season-best 9.925 score on the uneven bars, giving her a sixth title for 2008. Bernard also took third on beam with a 9.900, tying a career best. Fifth/senior Lindsey Bruck(Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus) tied for runner-up on vault with a 9.875 on Senior Night while fellow senior Katie Lieberman(Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) tied for runner-up on floor with a 9.875. Senior Megan Moore(Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams) took fourth on the balance beam in her final regular-season meet, tying a career-best 9.850.
Michigan opened the meet in a strong way, totaling 49.200 on vault, but Utah rocked the uneven bars in its half of the rotation to lead by .200 early. Wolverine freshman Kari Pearce (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) and Bruck matched each other with 9.875s, while Curtis totaled 9.850.
U-M fell another pace behind Utah in the second rotation on bars despite a solid team score of 49.325, led by a season-best 9.925 from Bernard. Utah racked up 49.425 points on vault to pull ahead by .300 at the midway point. Junior Tatjana Thuener-Rego(Miami, Fla./American School) equaled her season best with a 9.875 for Michigan, while sophomore Sarah Curtis(Reno, Nev./Reno) and freshman Kylee Botterman(New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) each put up scores of 9.850.
In the third rotation on beam, Michigan counted a fall to fall well behind Utah, scoring a 48.600 team score to trail by nearly a full point. Moore led off with a career-best tying 9.850 and two routines later sophomore Kelsey Knutson(Ames, Iowa/Ames) scored a 9.825 to keep Michigan in contention. Bernard sparkled with a career-best 9.900 in the four-spot, but each of the final two Wolverines slipped off the beam to put the Wolverines behind the eight ball with one rotation remaining.
In the final rotation onfloor, Michigan competed just five gymnasts, scoring 49.200 to conclude the meet. Lieberman and Curtis put up dual scores of 9.875, while Bruck went 9.850 and senior Nellie Kippley(St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) went 9.825.
Michigan will look to repeat as Big Ten Conference champions and win the program's 15th title in the last 17 years when the Wolverines host the Big Ten Championships Saturday (March 29) at Crisler Arena. The meet begins at 2 p.m. and will feature current No. 15 Michigan State, No. 20 Iowa, No. 22 Penn State, No. 24 Illinois, No. 25 Minnesota and Ohio State. Ticket information is available on MGoBlue.com.
Team Standings
Team Scores Vault Bars Beam Floor Total 1. Utah 49.425 49.400 49.325 49.275 197.425 2. MICHIGAN 49.200 49.400 48.600 49.200 196.325
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
VAULT Kari Pearce 9.875 (t2) Lindsey Bruck 9.875 (t2) Sarah Curtis 9.850 Katie Lieberman 9.800 Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.800 Kylee Botterman 9.150 UNEVEN BARS Lindsey Bruck 9.825 Sarah Curtis 9.850 Jordan Sexton 9.400 Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.875 (5) Becky Bernard 9.925 (t1) Kylee Botterman 9.850 BALANCE BEAM Megan Moore 9.850 (4) Sarah Curtis 9.675 Kelsey Knutson 9.825 (t5) Becky Bernard 9.900(3) Lindsey Bruck 9.350 Jordan Sexton 9.850 FLOOR EXERCISE Nellie Kippley 9.825 Sarah Curtis 9.875 (t2) Lindsey Bruck 9.850 (t5) Katie Lieberman 9.875 (t2) Kylee Botterman 9.775 ALL-AROUND Sarah Curtis 39.250 (4) Lindsey Bruck 38.900 (5)
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Bev Plocki
On the meet "We had some outstanding performances on all four events but also some mistakes. I'm disappointed that we didn't have more energy tonight with Senior Night and Utah in town. We're a little beat up and a little tired and it's a long season. We were not as crisp or clean but we'll rebound back and hopefully finish the year with a successful postseason."
N O T E S
Michigan's loss to No. 3 Utah is the first of the season and ends the Wolverines' bid to put up their first undefeated regular-season campaign in program history.
Senior Megan Moore tied a career best on beam in her final regular season meet, scoring 9.850.
Junior Becky Bernard tied a career best on beam with a 9.900. She also set a new season high on bars, scoring 9.925 and winning her sixth uneven bars title in 2008. Bernard has 11 bars title in her three-year career.
Junior Tatjana Thuener-Rego tied a season best on bars with a 9.875, matching her opening day score set in the Michigan tri meet vs. Arkansas and West Virginia.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
