University of Missouri
NCAA Regional
#16 Missouri Finishes Fifth at NCAA Northeast Regional
4/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
April 3, 2004
State College, Penn.-Competing in their third consecutive NCAA Regional Final, the #16 Mizzou Tiger gymnastics team scored a 194.400 to finish fifth. No. 4 ranked Georgia and #19 Michigan finished first and second, respectively advancing to the NCAA National Championship.
The Bulldogs scored a 197.525, while Michigan tallied a 196.375. No. 19 Iowa State finished third in the competition (196.150), #28 Penn State was fourth (196.075), followed by Missouri and New Hampshire (194.125).
Randomly appointed to open the meet on bars, the Tigers jumped into competition sandwiched between #4 Georgia on beam and #9 Iowa State in a bye rotation. Feeling the weight of its competitive position, the Tigers were momentarily hampered starting the meet with a low 47.050 team total.
Senior Lindsay Davis unusually scored a low 9.000 leading Missouri off. After suffering an ankle injury during the practice rotation yesterday, sophomore Sarah Zigler also fell short scoring a 9.125. Furthering hampering the Tigers, Alisha Robinson displayed a new dismount for the first time this season but was unable to stick the landing to score a disappointing 9.125.
Struggling to find its nitch during the first rotation, Missouri saw muted marks across the board. Kelley Andersen, Jodie Heinicka and Andrea Nervig's scores were also comparatively depleted from their norms. Andersen scored a 9.525, Heinicka earned a 9.600 and Nervig recorded a 9.675.
Putting their first rotation behind them, the Tigers focused on pulling up their marks during their second skill event. Receiving hard fought routines from each of its scoring members, the Missouri beam lineup tallied a 49.025. Despite a fall on the apparatus, it ranks as Mizzou's finest beam showing during NCAA Regional competition.
Nailing her upgraded beam dismount, freshman Amanda Pezzullo kicked the Tigers off on balance beam scoring a solid 9.725. Contributing to the mark, Andersen scored a 9.775, Robinson scored a 9.750 and All-Big 12 beam competitor Miranda Boeckman added a 9.825.
Rounding out the rotation, Missouri beam phenom Lauren Schwartzman highlighted the event performing a 9.925 routine to tie for second-place honors. She joins the Missouri record books scoring Mizzou's highest all-time beam score during a regional competition.
After resting during a bye-rotation, the Tigers jumped onto the floor exercise with a renewed flare. Turning their back on the meets' skill events, the Tigers used a little oomph to boost Mizzou's team total adding a 49.075 floor score.
Tallying increasing improvements throughout the lineup, Davis jump started the Tigers scoring a 9.750 followed by a solid 9.800 by Andersen. Bridges kept suit scoring a 9.825 leading to consecutive 9.850 marks by both Nervig and Schwartzman.
Summing up the meet on vault, the Tigers hit their strongest event full throttle scoring a 49.250 to set yet another NCAA Regional high. In addition, the mark ranks as Missouri's fifth highest vault total.
Katie Roets opened the round scoring a 9.750 while vault specialist Whitney Crater scored a 9.800 for Mizzou, while Pezzullo kept the momentum revving scoring a 9.775. Bolstering Missouri's effort, Robinson scored a 9.850 and Schwartzman tied her career-high hitting a 9.900 vault to highlight the rotation.
Rounding out her senior year with a final hurrah, Bridges scored a career-high 9.925 to finish third overall on vault. Topping her vault high for the second time in 2004, Bridges set a new Mizzou standard during NCAA Regional competition scoring the Tigers' highest NCAA post-season score.
Despite falling short of their goal to reach the NCAA National competition, the Tigers sum up the 2004 season on a high note sweeping the South Central Region coaches' honors. Coach Rob Drass was honored as Head Coach of the Year while Paul Scardina and Kira Atkinson shared co-Assistant Coach of the Year accolades. It is the second consecutive year Scardina has been honored.
Players Mentioned
