March 17, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - On a night full of emotions, the No. 13 Missouri gymnastics team closed out the regular season with a 195.250-192.575 win over SEMO on Senior Night at the Hearnes Center on Friday night. After the meet, the Tigers honored seniors Jodie Heinicka, Lauren "Bunny" Schwartzman and Sarah Zigler for their contributions to the gymnastics program and the university as a whole.
For the third-straight meet, Missouri (13-8, 0-3) swept the team, all-around and all four event titles. Freshman Adrianne Perry claimed her eighth all-around crown of the season as she tied her personal-best with a 39.300. Also picking up titles for the Tigers were junior Whitney Crater on vault, Heinicka on bars and Schwartzman on beam and floor.
"It's always a hard meet for those seniors, there's a lot of emotion," said Missouri head coach Rob Drass. "They mean a lot to the program, to me and to their teammates. It's a big meet. There's a lot of adrenaline and emotion. The titles are indicative of what they've done their whole career."
Opening the night on vault, Crater picked up her fourth vault title of the season as she tied a season-high with a 9.875 to finish first. Perry hit a strong vault to finish second with a 9.850 while junior Amanda Pezzullo finished third with a 9.775. Schwartzman posted a 9.700 to tie SEMO gymnast Starlyn Schwartz for fourth place as the Tigers posted a 48.375 on the event.
In her final bar routine at the Hearnes Center, Heinicka posted an impressive 9.925 for the fifth time this season. The score earned the senior her 10th bars title of the season and helped the Tigers post a 49.100 on the event. Zigler and freshman Alicia Hatcher tied for second place with a 9.825 while Perry tied Redhawk Maureen Grimaldi for fourth place with a 9.775. Sophomore Katie Kluga also tied her career-high on bars with a 9.750 to finish tied for sixth.
Moving next to their strongest event, the Tigers scored a 49.100 on their second-straight event. Schwartzman, the nation's top beam worker, performed another stellar routine on her signature event with a 9.925 to take home first place honors. With the title, Schwartzman claimed her ninth beam title of the season and the 31st of her career. Continuing her strong night, Hatcher tied her career-high on the event with a 9.850 to take third place while Perry recorded a 9.825 for fourth and junior Amanda Pezzullo finished fifth with a 9.800.
In the final rotation, the Tigers notched a 48.675 on floor. Concluding her Hearnes Center career, Schwartzman tied a season-high 9.900 to nab her second event title of the evening. Finishing second with a 9.850 was Perry while Pezzullo tied Redhawk Sandra Blake for third with a 9.750 as the Tigers notched a team total of 48.675 on the event. In the night's final routine, Zigler tied a career-high with a 9.775 in exhibition.
"This was the last time I'll ever compete here," said Ziger. "The crowd is just amazing and I couldn't of imagined the night any better."
"I'm proud of our team tonight, this was a great way to end the home season and home career," said Schwartzman. "I tried to imagine five people in the stands so the meet would exceed my expectations and it was just amazing."
The Tigers start post-season competition on Saturday, March 25 when they travel to Lincoln, Neb., for the Big 12 Conference Championships at 7 p.m. CST. On Monday, March 27, Mizzou will learn where the squad will travel for NCAA Regionals to take place on either April 7 or 8.