Michigan
Big Five Meet
Third Place at Big Five Meet
3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan placed third to earn spot Big Ten Championships evening session.
» Olivia Karas scored a career-high 39.625 to win the all-around.
» Mistakes on beam ended U-M's regular-season conference title hopes.
• Complete Results
Site: State College, Pa. (Rec Hall)
Event: Big Five Meet
U-M Team Result: 3rd Place of 5 Teams (196.875)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 19 -- at Big Ten Championships (Lincoln, Neb.), 4 p.m. CDT
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team was not able to win the Big Ten Conference regular-season title, but the team did accomplish one of its goals, advancing to the evening session of the Big Ten Championships with a third-place finish at the Big Five Meet on Saturday (March 12) at Rec Hall.
The top three finishers at the Big Five meet move on to compete in the 4 p.m. CDT session of the Big Ten Championships, while the bottom two compete at 11 a.m. CDT. By finishing in third place, U-M will be in the top group next weekend.
A low score on beam thanks to a fall and an awkward landing on a dismount cost the Wolverines any chance of overtaking first-place Iowa and Minnesota for the regular-season conference crown. The title ended up going to Minnesota, which won the Big Five Meet with a score of 197.425.
Michigan, which was in second place heading into beam, had a bye in the rotation after, giving them a chance to collect themselves and refocus for the final rotation on floor.
U-M ranks second in the nation on floor and showed why, posting a 49.425. The score came even with junior Nicole Artz scratching from the lineup when Minnesota was out of reach. Freshman Olivia Karas tied for the win with a 9.925, and junior Talia Chiarelli posted a 9.90.
Karas had her biggest meet of the season for the Wolverines. She won the all-around with a career-high 39.625 to become the 13th gymnast in Michigan history with a 39.600 or better. She also won vault with her fourth 9.950 of the season and matched a career high on beam with a 9.900.
Other notable performances included sophomore Brianna Brown scoring a 9.925 on bars for her highest score of the year. Senior Lindsay Williams had her fifth 9.900 or better on beam with a 9.900. Chiarelli's 9.900 on vault is her fourth in the last five meets.
The Wolverines will enter postseason competition next weekend when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the Big Ten Championships. U-M will compete in the late session at 4 p.m. CDT after placing in the top three at the Big Five Meet.
Players Mentioned
