March 2, 2008

Results

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The No. 19 Michigan State gymnastics team completed a busy, yet successful weekend, tonight at Jenison Field House with a score of 196.050 to beat Western Michigan (193.650) and Ball State (189.375). This is just the second time in Spartan history that a team has posted back-to-back scores of 196 or better, as MSU scored a season-high 196.200 on Friday night at LSU.

The Spartan remain unbeaten against both Ball State and Western Michigan, having won all 18 against the Cardinals and all 49 against the Broncos.

Senior Rhiannon Banda-Scott and sophomore Rochelle Robinson tied for the individual high score on vault with a pair of 9.850. Robinson has now won five vault titles this season and 12 for her career, while Banda-Scott takes home her third career vault title. Sophomore Nicole Curler tied Western Michigan's Courtney Lesson for third with a 9.825. Junior Katlyn Roggensack tied a career best, which she set on Friday, with a 9.800 to finish fifth. The Spartans scored 49.100 as a team, tying Friday's total as the second highest this season and eighth best all-time.

Moving to bars, sophomore Megan Bergland stole the show, winning her first individual title of the season and third of her career, scoring a career-high 9.925 to top the competition. Junior Dani Fanning, competing in just her second meet of the season, tied for second with Curler and Robinson for second with a 9.800. It was Fanning's career best score and finish. Freshman Nicole Heikkila also had a career-best performance, placing fifth with a 9.775. As a team, MSU set a new season-high with a tally of 49.100.

Kelsey Morley continued her impressive freshman campaign, winning the beam for the third time this season with a 9.875, tying for her second best score. Heikkila posted a top-three finish for the first time in her short career, placing second with a season-high 9.800. Roggensack and WMU's Courtney Lesson tied for third with a 9.775. Michigan State totaled 48.825 on the beam tonight.

The Spartans closed the night out in style with a season-high 49.025 on the floor. Capping off the night was sophomore Emily Lopatofsky, who posted a career-high 9.850 on the final routine to win the floor for the first time in her career. A trio of Spartans - Curler, freshman Kathryn Mahoney and sophomore Kelly Moffitt - were close behind with a 9.825 to tie for second. The scores and finishes were career-highs for Mahoney and Moffitt, and proved to be Mahoney's first top-three collegiate finish.

Curler won the all-around for the fourth time in her career, third this season, with a 39.150. Courtney Lesson was second with a 38.900 and WMU's Tonya Eckert was third with a 38.675.

MSU returns to action on Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. against New Hampshire at Jension Field House. The meet will mark the final home contest for the three Saprtan seniors - Banda-Scott, Bethany Little and Megan McNally.