The Michigan State gymnastics team continues to outperform its own historic standards, topping its highest season-opening score once again, this time with a crowd-pleasing 196.850-194.675 win over Western Michigan on Saturday evening at Jenison Field House.
It's important to mention which venue because - in case you missed it - the next time the Spartans compete at home, they will be hosting the Wolverines on Friday, January 17 at the Breslin Center for the first time ever. Get your tickets now.
Spartans Illustrated's Marvin Hall was at Jenison and captured these photos:
No. 11 Michigan State's season opening score of 196.850 is third-best in the country so far, trailing only No. 1 Oklahoma (197.550) and No. 2 LSU (197.300) in NCAA season openers.
"We’re really proud of how the team worked off each other tonight, especially with a few new faces in the mix," said head coach Mike Rowe. "It was a great early opportunity to give some of our depth the realness of the 'in-meet' nuances or stressors that sometimes need to be flushed out."
The Spartans took advantage of two exhibitions on each event which allowed for more gymnasts to get the competition feel.
"I think overall, it was not only a program record for highest opening team score, but set us a pretty decent place to build from moving forward," said Rowe.
Michigan State swept the all-around with junior Nikki Smith coming in first with a 39.475. Junior Olivia Zsarmani came in second place with 39.200 in her first collegiate all-around competition. Senior Gabrielle Stephen was third.
MSU started with a 49.400 on vault. For the second season opener in a row, all six of Michigan State's vaults were 10.000 start value vaults. Smith led all performers with a 9.950 to win the event. Junior Sage Kellerman earned second with a 9.925 and senior Gabrielle Stephen finished third with a score of 9.875.
On bars, with an overall score of 49.150, the Spartans took the top three spots on the event. Smith earned a 9.875 from the judges, while Kellerman finished second with a 9.850, and fifth-year senior Delanie Harkness was third with a 9.825.
In the third rotation, the Spartans scored a 49.100 on beam but it was Western Michigan's Emily Krzciok who won the event title with a 9.900. It was a four-way tie for second with Smith, sophomore Emma Misenheimer, Duplissis and fifth-year senior Giana Kalefe all putting up scores of 9.850.
MSU finished the meet on floor with a 49.200. Stephen won her first event title of the season with a 9.875 and there was a three-way tie for second place between Zsarmani, Harkness and Western Michigan's Cassie St. Clair, who all recorded scores of 9.850.
Next up for MSU is a trip to take on No. 3 Florida, No. 23 Nebraska and Northern Illinois in Gainesville, Florida on Friday, Jan. 10 at 6:45 p.m.
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