University of Missouri
Pittsburgh
Tigers Win IT Again
2/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 4, 2000
COLUMBIA, MO ___ -- The Missouri Tigers, led by all-around champion Shannon Brown, took the lead in the second rotation, Friday night, and never looked back in winning their second straight State Farm Insurance Cat Classic with a score of 193.8. The Tigers (5-5) edged the Pittsburgh Panthers (4-2), who scored 192.775. The Southeast Missouri State Otahkians (2-6) and Northern Illinois Huskies (3-8) rounded out the field with scores of 190.075 and 188.475, respectively.
For the Tigers, it marked the first time they had won back-to-back Classics in the event's 20-year history, and made them the first team to win consecutive titles since Arizona in 1996-97. Mizzou's team score was the fourth highest in Cat Classic history.
The top eight finishers in each event qualified for Saturday night's individual event finals, which begin at Hearnes Center at 7 p.m. Missouri qualifed four gymnasts on vault, three on bars, three on beam, and four on floor.
In the second rotation, Missouri scored a season-high 48.35 on uneven bars to move past Pittsburgh. The Tigers then scored 48.5 on balance beam and a season-high 48.9 on floor to hold off the Panthers.
"It feels good to be back to .500," first-year MU Coach Rob Drass said. "We hit routines and when you hit, you score. We've averaged just over 194 the last two weeks, and if we keep scoring like that, we'll qualify for the NCAA Regionals."
Brown won the all-around with a score of 39.025. It was the second straight week that she had cracked the 39 barrier, and earned her "The Jake" award. The all-around prize is named for former MU gymnastics coach Jake Jacobson, who founded the Cat Classic in 1981. After starting with a 9.45 on vault, Brown finished strong, scoring 9.8 on bars, 9.875 on beam, and tying the Missouri record on floor - 9.9.
Pittsburgh's Pamela Lieberman tied the Cat Classic on balance beam, scoring 9.9.
On Missouri's closing event - floor exercise - the Tigers got career-high performances from Brown, Alison Akers (9.85) and Leah Gremaud (9.75).
VAULT 1. Katie Cole, Missouri 9.75 2. Stephanie Furman, SEMO 9.675 3. Laura Anson, Missouri 9.65 4. Alison Akers, Missouri 9.6 Alina Hamm, Missouri 9.6 Freddie Alba, Pitt 9.6 7. Tiffany Nolen, NIU 9.55 Kathy Smith, SEMO 9.55UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS 1. Samantha Salyers, Pitt 9.825 Malia Roberts, SEMO 9.825 3. Shannon Brown, Missouri 9.8 4. Freddie Alba, Pitt 9.775 5. Jessica Dunbar, SEMO 9.75 6. Chandra Harlow, Mizzou 9.7 Ann Gietler, Missouri 9.7 Jessica Bagwill, SEMO 9.7
BALANCE BEAM 1. Pamela Lieberman, Pitt 9.9 2. Shannon Brown, Missouri 9.875 3. Kathy Smith, SEMO 9.825 4. Katie Cole, Missouri 9.8 Lakisha Jones, NIU 9.8 Freddie Alba, Pitt 9.8 7. Alison Akers, Missouri 9.775 Heather Launse, Pitt 9.775
FLOOR EXERCISE 1. Shannon Brown, Missouri 9.9 2. Alison Akers, Missouri 9.85 Lisa Fronhofer, Pitt 9.85 4. Anna Gardina, NIU 9.775 Nathalie Sulpher, Pitt 9.775 6. Meggen Smiley, Missouri 9.75 Leah Gremaud, Missouri 9.75 Lakisha Jones, NIU 9.75 Stephanie Furman, SEMO 9.75
ALL-AROUND 1. Shannon Brown, MU 39.025 2. Anna Gardina, NIU 38.075 3. Reyna Gilbert, NIU 37.8 4. Laura Hale, NIU 37.35 5. Lakisha Jones, NIU 37.225 6. Meggen Smiley, Missouri 37.2
VAULT, TEAM 1. Missouri 48.05 2. Pittsburgh 47.55 3. N. Illinois 46.925 4. SE Missouri 46.75
UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS, TEAM 1. Missouri 48.35 SE Missouri 48.35 3. Pittsburgh 48.275 4. N. Illinois 45.75
BALANCE BEAM, TEAM 1. Missouri 48.5 2. Pittsburgh 48.475 N. Illinois 48.475 3. SE Missouri 46.95
FLOOR EXERCISE, TEAM 1. Missouri 48.9 2. Pittsburgh 48.475 3. SE Missouri 48.025 4. N. Illinois 47.325
TEAM TOTALS 1. Missouri 193.8 2. Pittsburgh 192.775 3. SE Missouri 190.075 4. N. Illinois 188.475
Attendance: 1754
