Bucks roll through successful weekend
The Ohio State women’s gymnastics team boasted their record to 7-3 Friday after defeating the University of Pittsburgh on the road, 188.525 to 187.825.This was the Buckeyes’ third away meet in a row.”This week we had more experience with critical judging and just being on the road,” coach Larry Cox said. “That enabled us to pull together at the end of the meet and bring home a win.”Winning the all-around for the Buckeyes was Mindi Farmer (37.825), who also won the floor exercise (9.675).Lindsey Vagedes placed second in the all-around (37.775), second on vault (9.75) and second on the beam (9.725).”We were more mentally prepared and together as a team this week,” Vagedes said. “We were able to pull together when we had difficulties and win the meet.”Susan Eckman placed first on the vault (9.8), first on the uneven parallel bars (9.8) – tying with Pittsburgh’s Samantha Salyers – and tied for third on the beam (9.6) with Pittsburgh Panther Joy McElhinny.Other Buckeye contributors were Jill McMillon, who placed third on vault (9.675) and Elizabeth Jensen, who placed first on the beam (9.825).The Buckeyes will host Northern Illinois Mar. 8 at 2 p.m. in Larkins Hall. This is their last home meet of the season and the last time they will ever compete in Larkins. All gymnastics meets will be held in St. John Arena starting next year.”Northern Illinois is a very capable team that has its ups and downs,” Cox said. “It just depends on how we will meet them. They may come in here and have their best meet of the season. We’ll just have to stay focused and concentrate on winning the meet.” The Ohio State men’s gymnastics team defeated Michigan State on the road Saturday to achieve the team’s season-best score and the second-best road score of any team in the nation this year.The Buckeyes (229.875) outscored Michigan State (228.7), who was the No. 2 team in the country and first in the Big Ten.”The guys did a great job overall,” coach Miles Avery said. “They really came together during the high bar, and that’s what won the meet.” OSU is now ranked fourth in the nation, second in the Big Ten and has a record of 9-3 overall.The Buckeyes swept the top four positions in the all-around. OSU’s Doug Stibel placed first with a career high score of 58.0. Jamie Natalie placed second, also earning a career high, with a score of 57.80. Mike Morgan and Tim Elsner placed third and fourth with a 56.375 and a 55.40 respectively.The Buckeyes scored a season-high on the high bar with a team total of 39.3.Stibel also took first place on the high bar (9.925), tied for second on the parallel bars with Natalie (9.7), placed second on the floor exercise (9.7) and third on vault (9.65). “As a team, we all went out and did a great job,” Stibel said. “It gave us a boast of confidence to beat a higher-ranked team in their own gym.”Natalie placed third on the high bar (9.8) and floor exercise (9.65).Morgan won the floor exercise (9.75) and placed second on the high bar (9.825).”Michigan State is a tough place to win,” Morgan said. “It is the hardest place to win in the Big Ten, if not the nation.”The only Buckeye to place on the still rings was Peter Laundry who took first place (9.7).Michigan State swept the pommel horse.This weekend, OSU will travel to Lincoln, Neb. to face Nebraska, the No. 1 team in the country, for the second time this season.”I think we have a bit of an edge over them,” Stibel said. “We already beat them once and we will just build on that momentum.”Ohio State defeated Nebraska and Oklahoma in a tri-meet in Norman, Okla. on Feb. 6 by a score of 227.90-226.60-226.30.”Nebraska will be another tough meet for us,” Avery said. “We will have to concentrate on being consistent, hitting our routines and sticking the dismounts.”
