Bowling Green State University
UIC
BGSU Defeats Kent State, UIC
January 14, 2001 | Gymnastics
Jan. 12, 2001
Bowling Green, Ohio -
Jan. 12, 2001
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's gymnastics program began the 2001 season by setting a new school standard in defeating Kent State and Illinois-Chicago in their season opening meet at BGSU's Eppler Center. The Falcons posted a final team score of 194.825, Kent State had a 192.925, and Illinois-Chicago finished at 189.50.
The Falcons score beat their previous best of 194.600 established last year in a dual meet at Kent State.
"I'm elated," said BGSU Coach Dan Connelly. "I thought our team came out very calm and very confident this evening."
Junior Marny Oestreng (Trogstad, Norway), the MAC's two-time defending all-around champion, took home top honors in the meet winning the all-around with a score of 39.050. She set a new school-record and personal best in the floor exercise with a 9.975. She tied her career-best mark in the vault at 9.925 and won the competition in the uneven bars at 9.875.
Fellow Norwegian Pia Svojall (Skarer, Norway), a freshman, had an impact in her first performance for the Falcons finishing second in the vault at 9.875. It was the second-best score in school history in that event, behind Oestreng's effort.
Freshman Melissa Popovich (Medina) posted the school's second best mark ever in the floor exercise with a score of 9.875. Her score of 9.700 in the beam also ranks 10th among BGSU standards. Freshman Kelly Kropko (Akron) posted a 9.700 in the bars and now ranks seventh in BGSU history.
With the new standards set by the three freshmen, BGSU now has 11 competitors on their roster who have marks among the top 10 in school history.
TEAM SCORES BGSU 194.825, Kent State, 192.925, Illinois Chicago, 189.950
VAULT 1. Marny Oestreng, BGSU, 9.925, 2. Pia Svojall, BGSU, 9.875, 3. Katie Pokrana, Kent State, 9.825. (Other BGSU marks: Amber Curry, 6th, 9.700, Katie Carter, 10th, 9.650, Jamie Kent, 12th, 9.625, Ann Marie Kassouf, 13th, 9.575)
UNEVEN BARS 1. Marny Oestreng, BGSU, 9.875, 2. Amy August, Illinois-Chicago, 9.750, Chrissy Johnson, Illinois-Chicago, 9.750, Nadia Ori, Illinois-Chicago, 9.750. (Other BGSU marks: Ann Marie Kassouf, 5th, 9.725, Kelly Kropko, 6th, 9.700, Mindy Untch, 9th, 9.675, Heather Dankmyer, 10th, 9.650, Melissa Popovich, 12th, 9.575)
BEAM 1. Jenny Eckel, Kent State, 9.850, 2. Kelly Lovejoy, Kent State, 9.750, 3. Chrissy Johnston, Illinois-Chicago, 9.750. (Other BGSU marks: Mindy Untch, 4th, 9.725, Melissa Popovich, 6th, 9.700, Heather Dankmyer, 6th, 9.700, Ann Marie Kassouf, 11th, 9.525, Marny Oestreng, 12th, 9.275)
FLOOR 1. Marny Oestreng, BGSU, 9.975, 2. Melissa Popovich, BGSU, 9.875 and Jessie James, Kent State, 9.875. (Other BGSU marks: Rachel Hall, 6th, 9.825, Cristin McClellan, 8th, 9.775, Amber Curry, 10th, 9.750)
ALL-AROUND 1. Marny Oestreng, BGSU, 39.050, 2. Jenny Eckel, Kent State, 38.950, 3. Melissa Liebling, Kent State, 38.075
