University of Missouri
Kentucky
Tigers Take First in Vegas
1/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Jan. 16, 2010
Complete Results
LAS VEGAS - The No. 15 Missouri Tigers posted a final team score of 195.625 to win the 2010 Lady Luck Invitational besting No. 14 Kentucky (195.525), No. 16 LSU (195.350) and Arizona State (192.675). Senior All-American Sarah Shire finished second in the all-around with a 39.400, while sophomore Mary Burke (Inverness, Ill.) placed third with a new career high 39.225.
Missouri started the night off on the beam with Burke and freshman Lauren Swankoski (Chadds Ford, Pa.) both posting a 9.725. Junior Alex Gold (Plano, Texas) and Brooke Boehmer (Overland Park, Kan.) kept up the momentum each receiving a 9.775, a new career high for Gold. Shire finished it out on the event with a 9.900, topping her score from last week.
The Tigers finished the first rotation in third with a 48.900. LSU held the lead with a 49.375 with Kentucky in second, just ahead of the Tigers, posting a 48.925. Arizona State sat in fourth with a 47.350.
Freshman Tori Howard (Chesterfield, Mo.) looked great starting it off for the team on floor with a 9.700. Swankoski then held down the middle of the lineup for the Tigers with a 9.750. Burke and Shire finished it off for the Tigers each with a 9.775, respectively. The Tigers score of a 48.475 on floor, 97.375 overall, helped move them into second behind LSU (98.650).
On vault, senior Becky Scholle (Chesterfield, Mo.) started with a 9.775. Howard then followed posting a 9.825 for her first time in the lineup. Swankoski received a 9.800 paving the way for Gold's team high 9.850. Burke and Shire went last on the event for the Tigers posting a 9.800 and a 9.775. Missouri put up a 49.050, 146.425 overall, on vault putting them only four tenths of a point behind LSU (146.825) and in perfect position heading into the fourth and final rotation.
Swankoski led it off for the Tigers on bars with a 9.675, followed by senior Danielle Guider (Nutley, N.J.) with a 9.700. Sophomore Allie Heizelman (Cypress, Texas) kept up the momentum with a 9.800 making way for Scholle's 9.825. Burke and Shire closed it out, just as they had done most of the night, putting up two huge bars sets that earned them both new career highs. Burke replaced her 9.900 that she set last season with a 9.925. Shire tied the Missouri record books for the highest bars score in program history with a 9.950. The team finished bars with a 49.200 and then had to wait while the other teams finished to see if they had done enough to win it.
Individual honors went to several Tigers as Boehmer and Gold both tied for third overall on beam, while Shire tied for first winning her second beam title in as many weeks. Burke tied for second on bars and Shire tied for first on the event. Shire and Burke also stood on the podium placing second and third in the all-around as LSU's Susan Jackson took the all-around title with a 39.625. But at the end of the night it was the entire Missouri team that took the win at the 2010 Lady Luck Invitational.
The win over LSU was the first for Missouri since 1992. The Tigers have three wins in as many years over the Sun Devils to lead the series 4-1. The all-time series against the Wildcats of Kentucky is now 12-1 in Missouri's favor.
The Tigers are 4-0 as they head home to the Hearnes Center and prepare for the sixth annual Pink Out meet on Friday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m against Big 12 opponent No. 21 Iowa State. All fans are encouraged to wear pink as a portion of the admissions proceeds will go to the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center for breast cancer research.
Players Mentioned
