Feb. 24, 2008
Complete Results | Photo Gallery
- Big Ten Network: Programming Schedule
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
- gohawks.com
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
IOWA CITY – No. 24 Iowa pulled an upset over No. 19 Michigan State and No. 21 Illinois today with a score of 195.575. The Spartans placed second, scoring 194.875, while the Illini finished third with a 194.150. The score was a high the Hawkeyes have not seen since 2005. Iowa earned season-best team scores on bars and beam and Jenifer Simbhudas placed first in the all-around with a 39.275.
Simbhudas had a remarkable floor performance, earning a career-best 9.925 to place first in the event as well as a second place bars finish earning a 9.8. She tied for fourth on vault (9.725) and beam (9.825). Freshman Houry Gebeshian had a strong first-place showing on beam with a 9.875, while Katie Burke earned the first-place finish on bars with a 9.85.
Iowa, scoring a 48.525 on vault, was in first place after the first rotation and maintained the lead throughout competition. Top vault scores include Simbhudas, who tied for fourth with teammates Brandi Loffer, Kara Pinjuv, and Michigan State’s Nicole Curler, all posting a 9.725 in the event. The 9.725 score was enough to improve Loffer’s career-high score. Iowa’s next top vault competitors were Burke and Rebecca Simbhudas who tied for ninth in the event with a 9.675.
Moving on to bars, Iowa earned a season-best 48.9 in the event. Behind Burke and Jenifer Simbhudas, Loffer was Iowa’s next best competitor, earning a 9.775 to tie for fourth with Sarah Schmidt of Illinois and Rochelle Robinson of Michigan State. Gebeshian earned a 9.75 to tie for seventh, improving her season and career-best in the event, while Rebecca Simbhudas placed 11th with a 9.725.
On beam, Iowa also had a season-best team score with a 49.050. Iowa’s next best performance behind Gebeshian was Rebecca Simbhudas who placed third with a 9.85 and Jenifer Simbhudas, tying for fourth with Illinois’ Allison Buckley (9.825).
Finishing on floor, Iowa earned a 49.100 tying the team’s season-best score which was originally earned against Ohio State. Gebeshian, scoring 9.825 in the event, tied for third with teammate Katie Burke and Emily Lopatofsky of Michigan State. Loffer finished seventh with a 9.775 while Pinjuv scored a 9.75 to tie for eighth with Nicole Cowart of Illinois and Rhiannon Banda-Scott of Michigan State.
Iowa’s second highest all-around score behind Jenifer Simbhudas was Gebeshian. She gave her best all-around performance thus far as a Hawkeye, scoring 39.100 to place third. Loffer tied for fifth with Illinois’ Cowart, scoring 38.975, while Burke placed seventh in the all-around with a 38.875.
“We are all very excited about today’s win,” said Iowa Head Coach Larissa Libby. “The team came out after a rough night at Iowa State, Friday, and showed what they are made of. They showed they are Big Ten Championship contenders and we can go onward and upward from here.”
The Hawkeyes will return to competition Friday, February 29th hosting Minnesota. Competition will take place at the UI Field House and is set to begin at 7 p.m.
Final Team ScoresTeam Vault Bars Beam Floor Total1. #24 Iowa 48.525 48.900 49.050 49.100 195.5752. #19 MSU 48.700 48.500 48.925 48.750 194.8753. #21 UI 48.425 48.725 48.450 48.550 194.150
Individual Results (winner plus Iowa):Vault (winner plus Iowa):1. Rochelle Robinson (MSU) 9.8504t. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 9.7254t. Kara Pinjuv (Iowa) 9.7254t. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.7259t. Katie Burke (Iowa) 9.6759t. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.675t13. Houry Gebeshian 9.650
Uneven Bars (winner plus Iowa):1. Katie Burke (Iowa) 9.8502t. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.8004t. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 9.7757t. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.75011. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.72514. Brittany Logan (Iowa) 9.675
Balance Beam (winner plus Iowa):1t. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.8751t. Katlyn Roggensack (MSU) 9.8753. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.8504t. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.8256t. Kara Pinjuv (Iowa) 9.80012. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 9.70015. Katie Burke (Iowa) 9.525
Floor Exercise (winner plus Iowa):1. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.9253t. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.8253t. Katie Burke (Iowa) 9.8257. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 9.7758t. Kara Pinjuv (Iowa) 9.75012t. Jenny Donar (Iowa) 9.700
All-Around (winner plus Iowa):1. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 39.2753. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 39.1005t. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 38.9757. Katie Burke (Iowa) 38.875="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ctable%20border='0'%20cellpadding='0'%20cellspacing='0'%20align='left'%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ctr%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Ctd%20align='center'%20width="150">
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.