| Redbirds roundoff Redhawks |
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| Written by Eddie Morrissey, Staff Writer |
| Monday, 25 February 2013 16:34 |
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The Illinois State gymnastics team defeated Southeast Missouri State for the second time in a row last Sunday with a score of 195.000-193.925.
“Overall, we did what we needed to do today,” Conkling said. “The gymnasts hit all 24 routines that contributed to the team score. We are even better than what we have shown; we can hit our handstands better and stand up our landings a little better, as well.” The score demonstrates the improved precision that the Redbirds showed from last week’s meet against Southeast Missouri State, where they scored 193.425 points. “I was excited for them to finally pull a meet together, and I’m very happy for the team,” Conkling said. “[Assistant Coach] Steve [Avgerinos] and I have really focused on helping the team being a little more positive and having fun, not just in practice, but in competition. I think they did a fantastic job competing today.” Illinois State sophomore Sami King outstood the competition, taking first place in the all-around competition and scoring a career-high 39.100 points. Her best event of the meet was on the balance beam, where she posted a score of 9.850 points.
Another standout for the Redbirds was senior Kim Genereux, who
placed second in the all-around competition, right behind King, with a
score of 39.000. The uneven bars were her best event, taking first place
with a score of 9.875, a career high. “The team’s confidence is definitely increasing, not just in the
upperclassmen, but it is filtering to the underclassmen too. I’m excited
to see what the rest of the year has in store for us,” Conkling said. The next meet for the Redbirds is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday, where they will be hosting Ohio State University. The Buckeyes are currently ranked 20th in the country for Division I women’s gymnastics, averaging 195.286 points per meet, but Illinois State looks to keep its winning streak alive. |
