University of Missouri
Illinois State
Mizzou Scores Season-High 196.875
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 26, 2010
Complete Results | Photo Gallery 
COLUMBIA, Mo. - It was a night to remember in the Hearnes Center for the No. 19 Missouri Tigers (8-2) as the team posted a new season high 196.875 to best the Illinois State Redbirds' (5-4) 194.400. The meet was capped by 13 new career highs from six of the Tiger gymnasts while the team earned new season highs both beam and floor.
Senior All-American Sarah Shire (Columbia, Mo.) set a new school record by posting a 39.725 in the all-around, not to mention taking the all-around crown. It was the sixth of the season and the 19th of her career. Senior Danielle Guider (Nutley, N.J.) finished second in the all-around competition with a new career-high 39.275, followed by a 39.000 from sophomore Mary Burke (Inverness, Ill.).
Senior Becky Scholle (Chesterfield, Mo.) started the night off for the Tigers on vault by tying her career-high 9.825. Freshman Lauren Swankoski (Chadds Ford, Pa.) and Guider followed nicely with a 9.775 and a 9.825, respectively. Junior Alex Gold (Plano, Texas) nailed a huge vault for a 9.775. Closing out the rotation was Burke who matched her career-high 9.850, while Shire posted an event winning 9.900. The Tigers held the lead over the Redbirds after the first rotation 49.150 - 48.250.
The second rotation saw new career highs from the first three competitors in the Missouri bars lineup. Swankoski earned a 9.825, Guider a 9.800 and sophomore Allie Heizelman (Cypress, Texas) a 9.850. Those three career-high scores made way for a 9.700 from Scholle and a 9.900 from Shire. Shire's score was good enough for her second event title of the night. At the halfway point Missouri still held the lead over Illinois State 98.225 - 96.725.
Senior Brooke Boehmer (Overland Park, Kan.) led the Tigers off on beam with a 9.725, followed by a 9.750 from Gold. Those two gymnasts set the pace for a new career-high 9.850 from Guider. It is the second time in as many weeks that Guider has set a new career high on beam. Burke went next for Missouri and tied her career high with a 9.875. But it was Shire who stole the night on beam with a new career-high 9.950, which earned her a perfect 10 from one of the judges, as well as the beam title. The team earned an overall score of 49.150 on beam to post a new season high on the event. Heading into the fourth and final rotation the Tigers had pulled away from the Redbirds 147.375-145.550.
The Tigers were not finished for the evening as they absolutely wowed the crowd with an unforgettable floor rotation. Gold started the last event of the night earning a 9.825. Guider followed posting the same score for Missouri. Freshman Brittany Bendoff (Long Grove, Ill.) looked strong with a 9.800 and setting the way for a string of impressive scores. The second half of the lineup started with a 9.900 from Swankoski's excellent routine. Burke and Shire closed the night out each scoring a 9.975. Both routines earned a perfect 10 from one of the judges and tied the two gymnasts for the program record on floor, not to mention the title on the event. Overall, the team scored a 49.500 on floor to make it the third highest score on the event in Missouri history.
The Missouri team score of 196.875 is the fifth highest score in program history and the second highest in a dual meet. Shire now has a career-high of 9.950 or above on all four events to go along with her school record in the all-around.
The Tigers will spend the next two weekends on the road as they prepare to face in-state competition next week (March 7) at Southeast Missouri State. The tri-meet, which includes Alaska, is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
Players Mentioned
