Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State
UCLA
Cyclones Settle for Third at Regional
04.04.2009 | Gymnastics
IOWA CITY, Iowa?The 23rd-ranked Iowa State gymnastics team tallied one of its best scores of the season with a 195.650 Saturday evening in Carver-Hawkeye Arena at the NCAA North Central Regional. In the end, the Cyclones had to settle for third place behind No. 6 Florida (196.775) and No. 7 UCLA (196.625). ISU downed No. 20 Denver (195.600), No. 18 Minnesota (193.775), and host Iowa (193.625) in the process. Iowa State had to overcome some uncharacteristic mistakes and a crucial injury.
With the top two teams advancing to the NCAA Championships, Iowa State's season came to a close Saturday night.
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Despite the season coming to a close, Iowa State head coach Jay Ronayne felt his squad went down fighting with a gritty performance.
“I am proud of how we fought all the way to the end,” Ronayne said. “To be the fifth seed and to be in contention for the second spot all the way through the last rotation says a lot about our determination.”
The Cyclones began strong on vault, where Ceilia Maccani got them off to a flying start with a career-high 9.850. Nikki Dilbert chipped in with a season-high-tying 9.800 as Iowa State posted a 48.975, just 0.05 off its season-high vault score. Reigning Big 12 vault co-champion, Megan Barnes, stumbled on her landing, which resulted in the Cyclones not counting her score. However, after the first rotation, ISU stood behind only UCLA (49.125). Trailing the Cyclones were Minnesota (48.775) and Iowa (48.175).
Iowa State spent the second rotation in the locker room because the Cyclones were on a bye. Florida and Denver spent the first rotation on a bye and made their meet debut during the second rotation.
For the third rotation, Iowa State was on bars. The Cyclones were solid on the event (48.875), with Barnes tallying a 9.800. However, Iowa State's top bars worker this season and reigning Big 12 bars co-champion, Maccani, had to halt her routine due to an injury. Maccani's injury also sidelined her for her final event (beam) which she was scheduled to lead off for the Cyclones. In light of Maccani's setback, Iowa State held on to its second-place position at the midway point of the meet. Florida led with a 98.300, followed by the Cyclones (97.850), UCLA (97.775), Minnesota (97.600), Denver (97.525) and Iowa (95.975).
For its third event, the Cyclones were on beam and they did what was imperative by staying on the equipment. Freshman Michelle Browning filled in for Maccani and delivered in a big way, tallying a 9.800, Iowa State's high on beam. The Cyclones registered a 48.800 on the event to keep them in contention for a berth to the NCAA Championships as ISU had an overall score of 146.650. While Iowa State was on beam, UCLA put up an incredible 49.425 on floor to jump into the lead with a score of 147.200.
Ronayne was excited with Browning's clutch performance.
“I was really impressed with Michelle's beam routine,” Ronayne said. “To have a rookie put in a real pressure situation like that and score a 9.800 on a tightly scored event was very encouraging.”
ISU was on a bye for the fifth rotation, and the Cyclones prepared for floor in the final rotation.
Iowa State's season closed on floor, where the Cyclones made a valiant effort to qualify for nationals by tallying a 49.000. Iowa State's floor performance was led by freshman Shea Anderson's career-high 9.850. Anna Robey (9.825), Jasmine Thompson (9.800) and Nikki Dilbert's season-high-tying 9.800 were also key cogs in Iowa State's floor effort.
Ronayne also felt Anderson came up big in a pressure spot.
“She was under a ton of pressure on floor and didn't show it,” Ronayne said. “She really delivered and I couldn't be prouder of her.”
In the all-around, Denver's Jessica Lopez was the victor with a 39.600. Iowa State's Thompson tied for ninth with a 39.100.
Ronayne was upset the season came to a close, especially considering his squad had been peaking the last month of the campaign.
“I planned on going to nationals,” he said. “We were peaking at the right time, so it hurts that our season came to an abrupt end. But that doesn't diminish everything the team did at the end of the season.”
Players Mentioned
