Feb. 23, 2007

MORGANTOWN, W.V. - The Michigan State gymnastics team suffered a 194.875-194.275 defeat to No. 20 West Virginia on Friday night. Despite the loss, the team total was MSU's top road score of the season. Kristen Coleman (39.200) and Nicole Curler (39.050) took second and third, respectively, in the all-around as State's top finishers at the event.

"We are very proud of the way our team was able to put together such a strong road score," head Spartan gymnastics coach Kathie Klages said. "Our team worked together very well tonight, and we look forward to returning home to compete against Michigan in a head-to-head competition at Jenison Field House next weekend."

West Virginia's Janae Cox took first on vault (9.850), while Mountaineer tumbler Jamie Gold and MSU's Coleman and Curler matched scores of 9.800 to finish tied for second on the apparatus. West Virginia swept the top three spots on the uneven bars, led by Meghan Morris with a 9.900. Coleman and Curler each earned a 9.750 to finish tied for fourth place on the uneven bars.

Coleman posted a 9.875 on the balance beam to capture MSU's lone individual first-place finish against the Mountaineers. The duo of Coleman and Curler posted identical scores of 9.775 on the floor exercise to lead the Spartans on the event with a fourth-place finish. Cox led all gymnasts with a 39.325 in the all-around, while MSU's Megan Bergland (38.725) and Katlyn Roggensack (38.100) also competed in the all-around for the Green and White.

The Spartans competed on the uneven bars during the first rotation of the evening, posting a combined team score of 48.550 on the apparatus. Sophomore Katlyn Roggensack contributed a sixth-place finish of 9.700, followed by Bergland and sophomore Dani Fanning who each tallied a 9.675 on the event. Freshman Emily Lopatofsky added a season-best score of 9.650 on the bars for the Green and White.

During the meet's third rotation, MSU posted a team score of 48.525 on the floor exercise. Fanning contributed a seventh-place finish of 9.700, followed by junior Megan McNally (9.650), Bergland (9.625) and Roggensack (9.575), who also competed on the event for the Spartans.

Trailing the Mountaineers 148.475-148.950 heading into the final rotation of the contest, Michigan State posted a 48.800 on the balance beam, however, WVU finished the night with a strong showing on the floor exercise (48.925) to win the third meeting between the schools this season. Coleman's mark (9.875) was the meet's top performance, while Bergland (9.800) finished third, and Roggensack and Curler each posted a 9.725 to finish tied for fifth on the event. Iakounina and Banda-Scott added scores of 9.675 and 9.225, respectively, for the Spartans.

Michigan State returns home to host Big Ten rival Michigan at Jenison Field House on March 3. The meet is slated to begin at 7 p.m.