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Published Jan 31, 2024
Michigan State Gymnastics Win Over Iowa: Through the photographer's lens
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David Harns  •  Spartans Illustrated
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When Nikki Smith scored Michigan State University's first ever perfect 10.000 on the floor exercise, her teammates mobbed her in celebration. They knew that history had just been made. And so did the large crowd at Jenison Fieldhouse which had just watched the Spartans lead from the first event through to the end, beating No. 20 Iowa handily, 197.400-195.600 for their 5th victory of the young season.

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The Spartans had not beaten the Hawkeyes during the regular season since Jan. 18, 2015. MSU is now 5-3 and remains undefeated (2-0) in Big Ten action. Michigan State won all four of the events and junior Skyla Schulte won her second-straight all-around title with a 39.600.

MSU started on vault with six scores of 9.825 or higher and an overall score of 49.375. Gabrielle Stephen won the vault title with a 9.925 while Sage Kellerman put up a 9.900.

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On bars, the Spartans took the top five spots while posting a 49.300. Schulte and Delanie Harkness scored matching 9.900s to capture shares of the event title.

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On beam, MSU put up a 49.100 performance with Schulte's 9.900 leading the way.

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It was on their last rotation of the afternoon, floor exercise, where the Spartans put up their best score of the meet (and a season-high) with a 49.625, which ranks second all-time in program history on the event and ties for the fifth-best floor score in the NCAA this season.

Sophomore Elle Beaufait scored a 9.875 in the leadoff spot. After Harkness put up a season-high 9.950, Smith earned a 10.000 in the fifth spot for the 10.000. The perfect score is also the second for the Spartans this season after Sage Kellerman opened the season with a 10.000 on vault on Jan. 5. Schulte closed MSU's floor rotation with a season-high 9.950.

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Schulte now holds seven event titles through the first four meets of the season while Stephen finished second in the all-around standings with a 39.350.

Up next, MSU travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. The meet will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.

All pictures were taken by Marvin Hall for Spartans Illustrated:

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MichiganState
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30 - 7
Overall Record
17 - 3
Conference Record
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Auburn
70
Arrow
Auburn
Michigan St.
64
Michigan St.
Michigan St.
73
Arrow
Michigan St.
Mississippi
70
Mississippi
Michigan St.
71
Arrow
Michigan St.
New Mexico
63
New Mexico
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