Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State
Oklahoma
Cyclones Second at Big 12 Championship
03.29.2008 | Gymnastics
NORMAN, Okla. ? On the biggest stage of the season so far, Iowa State more then rose to the occasion.
The Cyclones were in the Big 12 Championship until the end, ultimately falling to No. 9 Oklahoma by just .1 of a point. ISU's second-place finish was its tenth top-two finish in the 13 years of the Big 12. The Cyclones sat atop the leaderboard with just Oklahoma's Kiara Redmond-Sturms remaining on the vault. Redmond-Sturms earned a 9.950 to move her team into first place.
“We didn't know if we were winning, but we felt like we had won,” ISU head coach Jay Ronayne said. “When we saw the reaction of the Oklahoma fans we had an idea that they had done enough to win. That still didn't diminish our feeling of what we had accomplished. You have to give Oklahoma a lot of credit for battling back after a rough start.”
Missouri finished third behind Oklahoma and Iowa State while Nebraska was fourth.
Iowa State was strong on all four events, setting season highs on vault and bars, on its way to a season-high all-around score of 195.775. That total score was .6 of a point higher than its previous best score.
“We did exactly what we came here to do,” Ronayne said. “We stayed within ourselves and didn't pay attention to what the other teams were doing. We stayed on the equipment and stuck our landings. I preached all week that if we did those things we would be in the game.”
Megan Barnes put up the second 9.900 of the season for the Cyclones on vault and Jasmine Thompson scored 9.800 or higher on all four events to set a season-high 39.275 in the all-around for a third-place finish.
“Jasmine has battled demons for two years now,” Ronayne said. “To get it done in a pressure situation, I'm just so proud of her.”
Iowa State started the meet with a strong performance on beam, putting up a 48.750. That score was their third best performance on beam this season and put them in third place after the first rotation. Iowa State led Oklahoma, which scored 48.100 on bars. Nebraska's 49.100 put them atop the leaderboard with Missouri in second. Jasmine Thompson led the way for ISU with a 9.825. Four other Cyclones scored 9.700 or better, with Ceilia Maccani and Katie Sweetin putting up scores of 9.750.
The Cyclones moved to the floor in the second rotation and moved up in the standings. A 48.900 put the Cardinal and Gold in second place with a score of 97.650 at the midway point. The ISU floor score tied for its second best this season. Missouri kept its lead (97.925), while Oklahoma moved into third (97.400). Nebraska found itself in fourth at 97.075. Sweetin tied a season-high with a 9.875 while Nikki Dilbert and Thompson added matching 9.800s.
Things got even better for Iowa State on vault in the third rotation, as the Cyclones hit on all cylinders to score a season-best 49.050. The competition for the Big 12 crown was tight with the top three teams separated by .2. Missouri had the lead with a 146.800 while Iowa State was in second (146.700) and Oklahoma in third (146.600). Nebraska rounded out the standings with a team score of 146.075. Megan Barnes tied a career-high with a 9.900. Dilbert and Maccani both put together scores of 9.825 while Thompson earned a 9.800. Maccani's score was a season-high.
The final rotation for Iowa State was something special. The Cyclones went 49.075, setting their second season-best on a routine. Oklahoma's score of 49.275 on vault was enough to jump two teams into first place. Iowa State finished second, with Missouri third and Nebraska fourth. Dilbert and Thompson led the way with matching 9.850s. Maccani scored a 9.800, her second score of 9.800 or better in three events. Jody McKellar tied a career-high with a 9.800. Barnes and Ashley Kent both scored 9.775.
Missouri's Adrianne Perry (39.375) won the all-around while Thompson placed third.
Iowa State will be back in action on April 12, when it competes in the NCAA Regional Championship. Meet location will be announced early next week.
Beam
1. Tricia Woo Nebraska 9.900
1. Haley DeProspero Oklahoma 9.900
3. Holly Vise Oklahoma 9.875
8. Jasmine Thompson Iowa State 9.825
14. Ceilia Maccani Iowa State 9.750
14. Katie Sweetin Iowa State 9.750
16. Ashley Kent Iowa State 9.725
18. Nikki Dilbert Iowa State 9.700
22. Jody McKellar Iowa State 9.225
Floor
1. Adrianne Perry Missouri 9.900
1. Kiara Redmond-Sturms Oklahoma 9.900
3. Katie Sweetin Iowa State 9.875
3. Tricia Woo Nebraska 9.875
3. Jacqueline Flanery Oklahoma 9.875
8. Nikki Dilbert Iowa State 9.800
8. Jasmine Thompson Iowa State 9.800
12. Anna Robey Iowa State 9.775
22. Jasmine Swyningan Iowa State 9.650
24. Melanie Tham Iowa State 9.175
Vault
1. Kiara Redmond-Sturms Oklahoma 9.950
2. Emily Parsons Nebraska 9.925
3. Megan Barnes Iowa State 9.900
5. Nikki Dilbert Iowa State 9.825
5. Ceilia Maccani Iowa State 9.825
10. Jasmine Thompson Iowa State 9.800
22. Katie Sweetin Iowa State 9.700
23. Jennifer Salfen Iowa State 9.675
Bars
1. Hollie Vise Oklahoma 9.900
2. Alicia Hatcher Missouri 9.875
3. Nikki Dilbert Iowa State 9.850
3. Jasmine Thompson Iowa State 9.850
8. Ceilia Maccani Iowa State 9.800
8. Jody McKellar Iowa State 9.800
10. Megan Barnes Iowa State 9.775
10. Ashley Kent Iowa State 9.775
All-Around
1. Adrianne Perry Missouri 39.375
2. Emily Parsons Nebraska 39.325
3. Jasmine Thompson Iowa State 39.275
5. Nikki Dilbert Iowa State 39.175
Team Totals Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Iowa State 49.050 49.075 48.750 48.900 195.775
Missouri 48.950 48.875 48.425 49.975 195.225
Nebraska 49.100 47.975 49.000 48.900 194.975
Oklahoma 49.200 48.100 49.275 49.200 195.875
Players Mentioned
