The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/20/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Curtis Barnard Junior Brooke Barclay competes on balance beam. Barclay posted a season high score of 9.800 on the apparatus last week at Stanford.

Rarely in sports does a team get a home-away-from-home. For the Oregon State gymnasts, this week's road trip is to just that place as they head up the freeway to Seattle.

The No. 9 Beavers hit the highway for their second road trip in a row, as they are set to meet No. 24 Washington, No. 14 Illinois and Eastern Michigan.

"UW is kind of like our second home so I think we will do really well and hit all our events," sophomore Jen Kesler said.

The team that could be out-matched at Bank of America Arena is Eastern Michigan. The Eagles have yet to surpass 194 points on the season and are led in the all-around by junior Erin Grigg. The Ontario native posted a team-high on both bars and floor with her 9.800s against Northern Illinois. During the NIU meet, Grigg scored a 39.075 on the all-around, the Eagles highest score of the season.

On beam, no Eagle has topped senior Maureen Moss or sophomore Nikole Viltz's 9.775s. Each gymnasts earned her scores against Bowling Green. Senior Zu Vuong, who scored a 9.800 the last time she competed, which was against Bowling Green at the first of the month, has matched Grigg's on the uneven bars. Sophomore Heather Qualls posted a 9.800 of her own on bars last week against Ball State in the Eagles top-scoring meet of the year where they scored 193.325.

"We are going to put all our stuff out there as respect and give them all we've got," sophomore Jereme Bigelow said. "There is going to be a lot going on and a lot of people. It should give us a chance to see where we have to be warming up and things before."

Saturday marks the first meeting between EMU and OSU. However the Beavers are prepared for their second-ever meeting with the No. 14 Fighting Illini. Illinois is fresh off setting their school record as they scored a 196.700 against Ohio State last Sunday.

Perhaps the top gymnast on the Illini roster is senior Marijka Botterman, who is ranked No. 8 nationally on the vault. In the all-around, Illinois is led by sophomore Allison Buckley, who put up a 39.350 against Ohio State. Buckley holds the top score on floor at 9.900, but she shares the spot with junior Sarah Schmidt who has posted the score twice on the season.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools