Feb. 1, 2007
WGYM Notes vs. OSU in PDF format
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For Openers
The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team (1-2) hosts its second home meet this Saturday, Feb. 3, when they welcome the Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) to Huff Hall at 7 p.m. The meet marks the second Big Ten opponent the Illini will face this season. Illinois is ranked #28 in the latest GymInfo rankings with a 193.017 average, while the Buckeyes are #19 with an average of 193.908.
Scouting The Buckeyes
Ohio State posted its top score of the season last week with a 194.850 to beat Michigan State and UIC in a triangular meet in East Lansing, Mich. The Buckeyes rank in the top-25 in three of four events nationally, ranking 13th on floor, 15th on bars and 22nd on vault. OSU is led by Maalika Moore-Thomas, who scored a career-high 39.375 to win the all-around last week at MSU. The Buckeyes are coached Carey Fagan, who is in her third season as head coach.
Last Year against the Buckeyes
The last time the Illini faced the Buckeyes was last season in Columbus, Ohio. The 25th ranked Buckeyes defended their home gym with a 193.375 to 192.875 victory. Marijka Botterman won the all-around for the Orange and Blue with a 38.700 and Cara Pomeroy took the uneven bars title with a 9.800.
Last Week vs. Iowa
Last Saturday the Illini captured their first team victory of the year, 194.725-193.350, over the Iowa Hawkeyes at Huff Hall. As a team, the Illini won three of four events. Kim Kruk led the Orange and Blue by winning both the uneven bars (9.875) and the all-around (38.925). Cara Pomeroy claimed the title on the beam by matching her career high of 9.900 for the third time. Meanwhile, Julie Crall paced all gymnasts on the floor with a 9.850.
Kruk Leads Team to Victory
In last Saturday's win over Iowa, sophomore Kim Kruk paced the Illini by winning two events in front of the home crowd at Huff Hall. She surpassed her previous highs in both the uneven bars and the vault with scores of 9.875 and 9.775, respectively. Her bars score was enough to carry her to her first event title of the night. She also won the all-around with a score of 38.925.
Vaulting to new heights
Last week against Iowa, Illinois posted its fourth highest team vault score in school history with a 48.875. Marijka Botterman led the way with 9.825 to take second-place overall. Also contributing to the team score were Lindsey Smith and Kim Kruk, each with a 9.775, and Julie Crall and Michelle McGrady, each with a 9.750.
Pommie Bounces Back
After struggling in her first meet of the year, senior tri-captain Cara Pomeroy bounced back at LSU by claiming a first place finish on the balance beam (9.825), as well as a second place finish on the uneven bars (9.825). Pomeroy then won the balance beam with a career-high tying score of 9.900 against Iowa last week. Pomeroy is a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection and is the only Illini gymnast to ever record a perfect 10.0 with her uneven bars performance at the 2004 NCAA South Central Regional Championships. She now has 33 career event titles in her illustrious career after winning the beam against Iowa.
Freshmen Catching on Fast
Freshmen Nicole Cowart and Sarah Schmidt have shown no signs of inexperience in their first three performances of the season. Against Missouri in her first collegiate competition, Cowart took home the vault title (9.850) and also placed third in the all-around (38.250). Then last weekend against Iowa she posted her highest all-around score of the season with a 38.825. Schmidt had the best meet of her young career last weekend against Iowa, finishing second on floor with a 9.825 while competing on three events for the first time.
Injury Report
The Illini have yet to be at full strength this season as senior tri-captains Danye Botterman and Melissa Singer, and freshman Lori Hamilton have missed the first three meets recovering from injuries. Botterman and Hamilton are close to returning to action, while Singer continues her recovery.
Keep up with the Orange and Blue at fightingillini.com
Gymnastics fans can get the latest on the Illini at fightingillini.com, the official website of Illinois athletics. Live scoring will be available for all home meets at fightingillini.com, and Live streaming video will be available for the four remaining home meets of the season with a CSTV All-Access subscription ($6.95 per month). Be sure to check out what life is like outside the gym for the Fighting Illini by reading "Illini Ink", the weekly blog that is written by a different UI gymnast each week. Also, photo galleries are added to the site on a weekly basis, making it easy to follow the Orange and Blue.
Up Next
After Saturday's meet against Ohio State, the Illini will hit the road as they battle Michigan and Nebraska in Ann Arbor, Mich. Friday, Feb. 9. The meet will be the first Big Ten road test for Illinois.
