Gymnastics: No. 2 Michigan Too Much For WVU
February 18, 2005 09:50 PM | General
By Justin Zackal for MSNsportsNET.com
February 18, 2005
LIVE SCORING
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A subpar outing against one of the best teams in the country spelled a loss for the West Virginia University gymnastics team. The Mountaineers lost, 196.950-193.125, opposite the No. 2-ranked Michigan Wolverines in the first annual Michigan Coaches Care Challenge Friday night at the Crisler Arena in front of 3,003 spectators.
West Virginia (3-4) scored just 0.245 below its season average of 193.37 leading into the meet, but in the Mountaineers’ two previous meets they were on a 195.65 pace.
Michigan (14-1) and senior Elise Ray, an 11-time All-American and U.S. Olympic team captain, won all four events in team and individual titles. Ray won the all-around with a 39.575.
The highlight routine for West Virginia was sophomore Janáe Cox tying a season high with a 9.9 anchoring the floor exercise. The score of a least 9.9 is her second of the season and 18th of her career and moves her in the top five all-time in WVU history for all events tying her with Amanda Halovanic’s 18 from 2000-03.
The Mountaineers scored 48.375 on the floor as sophomore Tynisha Dennis turned in a 9.775 for her second straight meet and Bartgis performed a 9.7.
Following the floor, WVU’s third rotation, the Mountaineers totaled a 47.975 on the balance beam to round out the meet. Cox graded the highest with her fifth-place mark of 9.8, her third-highest of the year. Dennis followed for WVU with a 9.75. Michigan won the beam with a 49.275 led by Ray’s first-place sum of 9.9.
West Virginia struggled from the start absorbing low scores in first rotation on the uneven bars with a 47.925. Cox carded the highest score for the Mountaineers equalling her season average of 9.725.
Bartgis, who owns the best season average of 9.73 on bars for WVU, sat down on her dismount and had her 9.225 score thrown out as the team’s low score. Junior Alyssa DeSantis posted a 9.6, the highest behind Cox.
Cox placed sixth on bars as Michigan had clean sets with all five Wolverines in the top five. Michigan won the bars with a 49.05, as Ray, reigning national champion on the event, captured first place with a 9.875.
In the second rotation, the Mountaineers’ No. 15 nationally-ranked vault team compiled a solid 48.85. Cox and senior Kari Williams tied for second place, a five-way tie shared with Michigan’s Shanna Duggan, Katie Lieberman and Jennifer Deiley as all gymnasts scored 9.85s. Ray won the vault with a 9.875. The Wolverines won the vault rating 49.225 as their throwaway score was a 9.725.
Cox and Bartgis compiled 39.275 and 37.05 as WVU’s all-arounders placing fourth and fifth behind Michigan’s three all-arounders. Including Ray’s 39.575, Lindsey Bruck and Deiley amassed 39.325 and 39.3, respectively.
Cox is now tied with Bartgis for fourth place on WVU’s all-time list of gymnasts with 39.0 or higher all-around scores with 14.
West Virginia continues its two-meet roadtrip this weekend when the Mountaineers make their first ever trip to Cornell on Sunday for a 1 p.m. start.
