University of Missouri
Oklahoma
Gymnastics Takes Second in Oklahoma
2/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 20, 2009
Norman, Okla. - The No. 13 Missouri Tigers pushed themselves to repeat their success of recent weeks, and the efforts certainly paid off as the squad posted their second score of 196.000 for the 2009 season. Missouri's score of 196.225 took second place just behind Oklahoma's 196.375.The Tigers took at least a share of every single event title, and won the vault and bars title outright.
Junior Sarah Shire was nearly unstoppable as usual, taking her sixth all-around title of the year with a 39.400, including two scores on 9.850 on beam and floor. Senior Adrianne Perry (Columbia, Mo.) tied for second with a 39.300.
With the quad meet, the Tigers' rotation was a bit different: starting on bars, then going to beam, floor and vault. Missouri sought to repeat its momentum of the past few weeks and get things going early. Allie Heizelman (Cypress, Texas) started strong with a 9.775, a new season high for the consistently improving freshman. Shire pushed the Tiger lineup, scoring a 9.825 and Perry didn't let up, posting a 9.750. Freshman Mary Burke (Inverness, Ill.) followed with a 9.775. But it was senior Alicia Hatcher (Blue Springs, Mo.) who closed up the event strong, scoring a 9.875 to match her career high, set a new season high and push the team total at 49.000. She also would claim the event title with her performance. The total is the Tigers' second highest bars score of the year.
The Tigers put the competition on notice with that strong first rotation, but host Oklahoma challenged back, posting a season-high 49.250 on the vault to start the night.
So, on beam, the Tigers didn't back down, scoring a 48.950, also their second highest total of the year. Juniors Danielle Guider (Nutley, N.J.) and beam specialist Brooke Boehmer (Overland Park, Kan.) got the beam team rolling with a 9.750 and 9.800, respectively. Hatcher scored a 9.725, and it was Perry and Shire who brought the heat, scoring a 9.825 and a 9.850, respectively.
Going into the third rotation, Missouri was neck-and-neck with Oklahoma, trailing by just over five-hundreths of a point. West Virginia was in third place with a 97.400, while Brown held fourth place with a score of 94.050.
The Tigers looked to gain confidence in their strong event, the floor exercise, and didn't disappoint with a team score of 49.050. Sophomore Alex Gold (Plano, Texas) set the pace with a 9.750, while Hatcher turned it up with a 9.775 to match her season high. Guider followed with another 9.750 for the Tigers, while Burke hit her highest score of the night with a 9.800. Missouri turned to its floor strongholds to put them over the edge: Shire scored a 9.850, while Perry hit a 9.875 to lead the Tigers in their final routine.
While Missouri pushed on their routines, Oklahoma did the same by scoring a 49.075 on the balance beam. At the end of the third rotation, the Tigers just trailed the Sooners, 147.075-147.000.
It would come down to the final rotation, and the Tigers responded fearlessly with top-flight performances on vault. Burke got it started with a 9.800, while Scholle followed with a 9.775, to match her career and season high. The Tigers weren't done breaking records as Gold set a new career and season high of her own of 9.925, good enough to win the event title. Sophomore Lauren Stephenson (Kansas City, Mo.) contributed a 9.775 of her own, while Perry's season-high tying 9.850, and Shire's 9.875 rounded out a 49.225 score for Missouri.
The Tigers are now 8-1 on the road and 11-44-1 against the Sooners. This was the first win for Missouri against Brown, and the Tigers have now taken a 3-2 lead in that series.
Missouri will return to the friendly confines of the Hearnes Center for the 29th annual Cat Classic. The Tigers will host No. 22 Michigan State, Cal State Fullerton and Western Michigan starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Doors will open at 5 p.m.
