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Life > Athletics > Gymnastics > 4/13/06
PIONEERS FINISH SECOND TO MOVE INTO FINALS
ITHACA , N.Y. – The scores were low but Texas Woman’s University advanced to the team finals in second place with a 191.250 at the 2006 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships.
UC Davis won the competition with a 191.475 followed by TWU, Cornell (190.700) and William & Mary (190.275). The four teams will meet in the finals tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. as the Pioneers go for an eighth national championship. TWU will start the competition on the floor exercise for the second night in a row.
“First of all we accomplished our goal of advancing to the second day. I am proud of the team. We had a great meet,” head coach Frank Kudlac stated. “We had some problems on our last event (balance beam). It is a long meet and not easy to go through eight rotations and stay focused.”
The results hung in the balance until the last rotation of both sessions. The uneven bars dropped Rutgers, the defending champions, and Seattle Pacific out of contention with scores of 46.150 and 45.800, respectively.
TWU started the meet on the floor exercise. Nicole Poling led the way with a score of 9.700 to tie for sixth place.
Next, the Pioneers moved to the vault. Senior Nakia Westbrook hit for the top score of the night, a meet-high 9.825 to claim first place. Brittany Parker added a 9.725 to the 48.075 team tally.
The Pioneers built a lead on the bars with a 47.925 team score. Senior Bethany Rehm paced the squad with a 9.650 which tied for the best score of the meet.
In the final rotation, TWU moved to the balance beam in second place. The Pioneers had to count two falls but Courtney Arno (9.775), Amy Hulbert (9.650) and Kelsey Nixon (9.650) kept TWU in the top four teams.
Seven Pioneer gymnasts qualified for the individual finals on Saturday and earned All-America honors by finishing in the top eight. TWU will be represented by Westbrook and Parker on vault, Arno on beam, Poling on floor and the trio of Rehm, Amber McMeans and Brisa Fuentes on bars.
Additionally, Arno finished tied for eighth on bars but since TWU already put three people in the finals she won’t compete but gets second team All-America distinction.
“We can’t control the scores only performances. The first three events rocked for us. We couldn’t do much better,” Kudlac added. “It is up to the judges for individual finals. We are represented but it could be better. I am proud of the individuals but it’s not about that.”
At the conclusion of the meet, Kudlac was named the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women Division II Head Coach of the Year.
“Tomorrow is a new day. From a random draw, we will start on floor again. The good news is that we have trained to start on the floor for the last two weeks,” Kudlac said. “Lessons were learned today. We counted a point in falls and still only got beat by two-tenths. To be in contention tomorrow we have to perform in four events not just three.”
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