Jan. 14, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio-The University of Missouri women's gymnastics team opened the 2002 season in a dual meet against the Bowling Green State Falcons. The Tigers recorded its highest season opening score in school history with a 193.275. Despite the mark, BGSU slipped past Missouri scoring a 193.775.
The 2002 Tigers started the season in prime form knocking down five records. Coming off a successful Black and Gold intrasquad scrimmage last December, Mizzou showed much progress and the potential for further strides during the upcoming season.
"I'm thrilled, the whole team did a great job," MU Head Coach Rob Drass said. "From top to bottom we had outstanding performances from every member of the team. We are a young team and Bowling Green is a squad of veterans, but we were able to hang with them down to the last routine. This meet is a great example of the competition and good things to come this year."
Freshman Alisha Robinson exploded onto the college scene tearing down all five Mizzou freshman records. First up, Robinson led the Tigers and the meet with a 9.900 on bars to post MU's highest mark by a freshman on the apparatus. The former power tumbler went on to shatter the freshman vault score nailing a 9.925 to win the event-also tying Missouri's top vault score in program history. Robinson continued to show her mastery on the floor exercise and balance beam posting a 9.875 on both events to top the Tigers and win the beam competition. The freshman rounded out her inaugural showing leading Missouri with a 39.575 all-around score to win the meet all-around competition. The score tops the MU recordbooks as both the highest individual all-around score and the highest score by a freshman in school history. Robinson topped the podium winning all events except the floor exercise which was captured by BGSU's Marny Ostreneg, the 1999 NCAA floor exercise champion.
"Wow ," Drass said. "I knew Alisha was good, but I didn't expect her to come out in her first meet and dominate the way she did today. She rewrote the Mizzou record books literally, I'm still in awe of the performance she gave. I expect her to be ranked in the top-10 in the all-around next week, which is something I don't think an MU athlete has ever done, and she did all of that with a sore back" he added.
Also toping the charts for MU, sophomore Andrea Nervig scored a 9.825 on the uneven bars to record her second-highest career mark on the apparatus. Lauren Owca earned a 9.625 leading off the Tigers on the vault--the score is her third-highest career mark in the event.
Freshman Ashley Asraf pulled through with an impressive first outing. The Tom's River, N.J., native scored a 9.550 on vault and a 9.775 on the floor exercise. Fellow freshman Rachael Dombart, of Woodstock, Ga., put up solid marks during her first collegiate showing helping the Tigers with a 9.600 on the uneven bars and a 9.700 on the balance beam.
Veterans Alina Hamm and Lindsay Davis contributed solid marks scoring 9.650 on the vault. Hamm also scored a 9.800 on the balance beam and was third in the all-around scoring a 37.950 to boost the Tigers. Junior Leah Gremaud highlighted the evening scoring a 9.750 on beam and a 9.600 on bars and transfer Rachel Bridges topped the meet with a 9.775 on beam.
"This was a great way to start the season. Although we fell short of the win, we were competitive. We posted the highest opening score in the history of the program today and the best part about it is that it required more than just one great performance. We've proven that when we work as a team we can be that much better." Drass said.