University of Missouri
Arizona
Mizzou Upsets Ranked Opponents to Claim Cat Classic Title
2/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 7, 2003
Columbia, Mo.-Coming into the 23rd Annual State Farm Cat Classic, the Mizzou gymnastics team set the goal to not only win the meet, but also proceed in their efforts to show top contenders just what to expect from the Tiger program.
From the first rotation to the last Missouri flaunted its ability and easily captured the Cat Classic title. The Tigers tied their second-highest team score in program history and seized the coveted victory with a meet high 195.875.
In addition to taking top honors, the No. 22 ranked Tigers also upset two ranked opponents trouncing the No. 10 ranked Arizona Wildcats and the No. 20 ranked Brigham Young Cougars. Surprisingly unranked New Hampshire also came in to best the two schools finishing second with a 195.100 and the Cat Classic's second highest team score to date.
Ushering in the excitement of the evening, Missouri powered into the first rotation recording four consecutive 9.825 scores by Alina Hamm, Jodie Heinicka, Rachel Bridges and Lindsay Davis. Alisha Robinson kicked it up a notch for Mizzou topping the Tigers with a 9.850 and helping Missouri record its highest all-time vault score for the second straight meet. Mizzou set its previous mark against Illinois State scoring a 49.075 average. Unsatisfied with that effort, the Tigers trashed the record again scoring a 49.150. In addition to the team total, Hamm and Heinicka each posted career-high marks on the apparatus.
The Tigers put up similarly strong marks on the uneven bars, Rachael Dombart cracked into the rotation scoring a 9.825 and Lauren Owca followed suit with a 9.750. Davis and Heinicka paired up on the score sheet again logging back-to-back 9.800 scores and Robinson catalysed another score upgrade increasing the anti to a 9.900. Mizzou ended the round with a 49.025 team total and the third-highest bars score in Cat Classic history.
Moving onto the balance beam freshman Lauren Schwartzman brewed some magic in her first event winning the beam title and tying the Cat Classic meet high scoring a 9.925. The mark is also a career-high for Schwartzman and ties the Mizzou freshman mark on the apparatus. Also accentuating the event, Dombart scored a 9.875 and Davis put up a 9.850, tying her career-high, to boost the Tigers beam line-up.
Despite counting a fall, Mizzou scored a 49.150 on the balance beam to set a second Cat Classic team record and log the second highest apparatus mark in program history. Summing up the meet, Schwartzman once again shined on the floor exercise. Delivering one of her finest performances of the year, the freshman captured her second event title scoring a 9.850 to tie for first-place honors and advance to the individual championship as a dual event contender.
Embracing the tradition of a true 'cat fight,' Mizzou's opponents kept scores close throughout the meet. New Hampshire toppled the Cat Classic team beam record scoring a 49.025 in their first event-that mark was later re-established by Mizzou. Wildcat Jen Dickson led New Hampshire scoring a 9.875 and finished second on the apparatus. New Hampshire also posted a 49.000 team total on the floor exercise to tie for the Classic's fifth-highest meet score. Michelle Harley scored a 9.850 to tie for first-place honors and Vanessa James posted a 9.825 to assist the Wildcats. Overall, New Hampshire upset two ranked opponents to finish second in the meet scoring a 195.000 and record the second highest score in meet history.
Arizona posted a 48.675 to tie for second in the all-time team vault standings. Abby Pearson scored a 9.875 to lead the Wildcats on the event. Arizona also topped the Cat Classic record books recording a 48.950. The Wildcats rounded out the event with three consecutive 9.8+ scores. Jamie Duce started the roll scoring a 9.850 and Sheehan Lemly and Monica Bisordi followed up with consecutive 9.825 marks. Despite finishing third, Arizona scored a 194.575 team total to own the fifth-highest team score overall.
Brigham Young faltered during the meet finishing fourth in the competition. Defending consecutive Cat Classic titles, the Cougars scored a meagre 192.850.
Mimicking the NCAA Championship meet, the Cat Classic continues for a second evening. Top contenders from each event during the team competition advance to the individual championship tomorrow night. Like the team competition, the individual contest begins at 7:00 p.m., in the Hearnes Center.
