Women's Gymnastics

Jan. 15, 2009

Spartan Sports Podcasts
Jackie Berg
Katlyn Roggensack
Kathie Klages

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The 2009 gymnastics team returns to competition on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. for the third annual Flip for a Cure meet. The Spartans welcome Illinois State, Iowa and West Virginia to Jenison Field House for a quad meet.

The MSU gymnasts will wear pink leotards and all proceeds from this event will benefit the American Cancer Society. The meet is dedicated in memory of Jan Howard, the mother of Angela Howard, former Spartan gymnast and current Director of Student-Athlete Development, who passed away from breast cancer in 1997.

Admission is free if you wear pink to the event.

During the evening, there will be a silent auction featuring various Michigan State athletic items, including a signed basketball by men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo and a signed football from football head coach Mark Dantonio.

MSU (1-2) is coming off a season opening quad meet against Michigan, Illinois and Western Michigan. The Spartans finished third, posting a team score of 192.325. Junior Nicole Curler returned to the lineup for the first time since March 2, 2008 and classmate Emily Lopatofsky made her collegiate debut in the all-around. Rochelle Robinson led the team on vault, posting a 9.750, and tied for a team-high 9.750 on uneven bars with freshman Jackie Berg. Lopatofsky scored a team-high 9.700 on beam and Curler recorded a 9.850 on floor exercise for the Spartans.

Illinois State (0-2) is coming off a 192.225-191.825 loss to Central Michigan. The Redbirds recorded a meet-high 48.300 on vault, and senior Meaghan Koshman took second overall on the event with a 9.825. Sophomore Hannah Deutsch finished in the top three on the balance beam and floor exercise, recording a 9.775 on both events. Deutsch earned Gymnast of the Week honors from the Midwest Independent Conference for her performance against Central Michigan.

Iowa (0-2) opened the season with a home meet against LSU and Southeast Missouri State, posting a team score of 191.375. Senior Jenifer Simbhudas led the Hawkeyes, finishing second in the all-around with a 39.200, while sophomore Houry Gebeshian finished fourth with a 38.625. Gebeshian tied a career-high on vault with a score of 9.725, and tied for second overall on the balance beam with 9.800, while Simbhudas tied for second overall on the beam and finished second on the floor exercise with a 9.825.

No. 18 West Virginia (0-1) began the 2009 season against defending National Champion Georgia, falling 195.425-194.075. The Mountaineers posted a top score of 48.650 on the floor exercise with all five competitors scoring at least a 9.600. Junior Chelsi Tabor recorded a 9.875 on vault for first place on the event, while senior Meghan Morris posted a 9.850 on uneven bars to take third on the apparatus and scored a team-high 9.850 on floor exercise. Morris earned Gymnast of the Week honors from the East Atlantic Gymnastics League for her performance.

Fans can follow the meet online through live stats.

The meet will be aired via tape-delay on Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. by the Big Ten Network. Last week's meet against Michigan, Illinois and Western Michigan will air on the Big Ten Network on Fri. Jan. 16 at 8 p.m.

Individuals can donate money to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team the Spartans have formed through their webpage.

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