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Life > Athletics > Gymnastics > 3/2/08
PIONEERS BOUNCE BACK FROM OU DEBACLE WITH STRONG EFFORT AGAINST IOWA
Meet Results
 DENTON, Texas (March 2) – Apparently, the demise of the Texas Woman’s University Pioneer gymnastics team has been greatly exaggerated. Less than 48 hours after a disappointing effort in a competition at OU that frustrated both TWU gymnasts and coaches alike, the Pioneers regained their usual outstanding form by posting an impressive 193.475 team score in a dual meet versus the University of Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Kitty Magee Arena in Denton.
TWU struggled mightily in Norman, Oklahoma on Friday night, counting numerous falls on beam and floor to total just a 189.350 score, their second-lowest team mark of the year. It was a different story on this day for the Pioneers as the squad was solid on all four events.
“We bounced back like I thought we would,” said TWU head coach Frank Kudlac. “I wasn’t happy after the meet at OU, and neither were our gymnasts. We responded today like good teams do, with a ton of fight and a determined effort on every event.”
Ironically enough, it was on beam and floor, their Achille’s heels on Friday night, that the Pioneers had their best results. TWU tallied three exceptionally high scores on beam - a 9.825 from senior Courtney Arno-Templet, a career-best equaling 9.800 from freshman Kristie Costa, and a 9.725 from junior Brittany Parker - to finish with a team beam score of 48.575, their second-highest total on the event this season.
“They were phenomenal,” said Kudlac of his beam workers. “Our first gymnast on the event (Abbi Thomas) suffered an ankle injury so she didn’t record a score. That put the pressure on the other five girls on beam to deliver and that’s exactly what they did. I’m very proud of that group as whole.”
The TWU result on floor was equally as impressive as their work on beam. Freshman Mollie Blessing (pictured) led the way for the Pioneers on the event, hitting an eye-catching routine to score a career-high 9.800. Junior Tonya Pipkorn (9.775), junior Amy Hulbert (9.725), and junior Amie Boles (9.700) also contributed mightily to the Pioneer floor total of 48.675 (also their second-highest floor team score of the year).
Arno-Templet and Amanda Walker finished one-two for the Pioneers in the individual results on bars. Arno-Templet scored a 9.875 (her seventh score of 9.800 or better this year) while Walker matched her career-high of 9.800.
Parker was the best vaulter for TWU with a score of 9.700. Freshman Jennifer Liberato (9.675) and Blessing (9.675) also turned in respectable vaults for the Pioneers.
Iowa , the 23rd-ranked team in the nation, won the meet with a score of 195.075. The Hawkeyes also claimed the vault, beam, floor exercise, and all-around individual event titles.
Next up for the Pioneers will be a triangular meet against Denver University and the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday night, March 8, at 6:00 p.m. (CST) in Denver, Colorado.
NOTE: Sunday’s dual against the Hawkeyes was the Pioneers’ annual “Think Pink” meet to raise breast cancer awareness. The TWU and Iowa gymnasts wore pink leotards and donations were requested from the crowd for every score of 9.700 or better earned in the competition. More than $500 was collected by the Pioneer gymnasts from fans as they exited the arena. All of the donated money will go directly to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
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