Women's Gymnastics

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March 9, 2007

Complete Results

The 20th-ranked Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team scored a season-high 195.975 to narrowly defeat 16th-ranked Auburn (195.775) in front of 1,102 fans at Huff Hall Friday night. Sophomore Marijka Botterman, senior Cara Pomeroy and freshman Nicole Cowart all won event titles as Illinois posted its third-highest score in school history and picked up its third win this season over a ranked opponent.

Illinois started off with a bang on vault, scoring a 49.075, which is the third-best score in school history and is just 0.25 off the school record of 49.100 set in 2005 and earlier this season against Iowa State and NIU. Botterman nailed her Yurchenko full for a career-high 9.900 to win the event. Junior Michelle McGrady was impressive as well, scoring a 9.825 in the leadoff slot to tie for fifth place. Sophomore Lindsey Smith scored a 9.800 and Cowart and sophomore Kim Kruk rounded out the Illini scoring with 9.775. Illinois held a slim 49.075-49.025 lead after one rotation.

The Orange and Blue scored a 49.100 on the uneven bars in rotation two, tying for the fourth-highest score in school history on the event. Pomeroy won her fourth consecutive and 25th career bars title with a season-high tying 9.925. Botterman scored a career-high 9.825 to tie for third with teammate Sarah Schmidt and Auburn's Lindsey Puckett and AJ Mills. However, the Tigers used a season-high on vault to take the lead after the second rotation, 98.250-98.175.

The Illini took control in the third rotation, scoring a season-high 49.100 on the balance beam, which ranks as the fifth highest beam score in school history. Sophomore Julie Crall was the top Illini on the event, scoring a career-high 9.900 to take second place. Pomeroy was third with a 9.850 and Cowart was fourth with a career-high 9.825. Botterman earned a 9.775 and Schmidt a career-high tying 9.750 to round out the Illini scoring. Illinois moved into the lead, 147.275-146.950, after rotation three.

Illinois once again had some struggles on floor, but still scored a 48.700 on the event to hold on for the win. Cowart was magnificent in the final performance of the night, notching a career-high 9.875 to win the floor title and clinch the upset. Smith tied her career-high with a 9.775 to tie for third, and Botterman earned a 9.725. Pomeroy (9.675) stepped in at the last minute after Julie Crall went down with an ankle injury in the three-minute touch before floor.

Marijka Botterman scored a career-high 39.225 in all-around to tie for second behind All-American Julie Dwyer of Auburn (39.300). Cowart also earned a career-high with a 39.175 in the all-around to take fourth. On the night, Illinois set or tied 10 career-highs, including three each by Botterman and Cowart.

"This meet was very similar to our meet against Iowa State and NIU," Illinois head coach Bob Starkell said of the Feb. 25 meet when the Illini put up a score of 195.925. "Today we did well on our strong events and we didn't have any major mistakes, however, we need to finish stronger. Julie's injury is unfortunate, but overall I'm pretty happy with our performance tonight."

Crall is not expected to compete when the Illini travel to Colorado to face #14 Denver this Sunday afternoon, March 11, at 3 p.m. CDT, and her status for the rest of the season is unknown at this point. Next weekend, Illinois will return home to face Illinois-Chicago on Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m. It will be the final home meet for seniors Cara Pomeroy, Danye Botterman and Melissa Singer, and will be a double-dual meet with the sixth-ranked Illini men's team.