Jan. 31, 2009
IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team defeated University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Texas Woman’s University inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena Saturday night, finishing the tri-meet in first place a total score of 195.050. With the win, Iowa improves its record to 6-2 overall and have defeated six straight teams over a three-week span, including two road wins against ranked opponents.
“The most surprising outcome about this meet was that our kids were unhappy with a 195,” said head coach Larissa Libby. “We’re moving in the right direction and gaining maturity and confidence in each meet going forward.”
The GymHawks won each of the four events in convincing fashion en route to their third straight meet win. Continuing to be Iowa’s two-headed monster in the all-around, sophomore Houry Gebeshian edged teammate Jenifer Simbhudas to win the all-around title with a score of 39.150. Simbhudas finished in a close second with a 39.125.
Iowa started the meet off on vault and their performances didn’t skip a beat. Each of the GymHawks scored a 9.7 or higher, led J. Simbhudas, who scored a 9.825. Her sister, sophomore Rebecca Simbhudas earned her highest mark on vault this season with a 9.775. Senior Kara Pinjuv also scored a 9.775, while Gebeshian, who won the all-around title last week at Illinois, received a 9.750.
The dominance continued on bars, where three GymHawks set season-highs, led by R. Simbhudas (9.875). Simbhudas’ score was also the highest mark any Hawkeye has received on bars this season. In addition, J. Simbhudas and freshman Jessa Hansen also reached season-highs, scoring 9.825 and 9.725, respectively.
The GymHawks endured a shaky start on balance beam, but three more GymHawks netted season-highs. Pinjuv, R. Simbhudas and Gebeshian all tied for first place with identical scores of 9.850 and Pinjuv’s score is also her career high, breaking her previous mark of 9.8 set in March 2007.
Iowa capped off their evening on floor, led by impressive performances from J. Simbhudas and Pinjuv. Simbhudas scored a 9.900 and Pinjuv received a 9.875, tying her career-high from January 2007.
Next weekend, Iowa travels to Columbus, OH, for a dual-meet with Big Ten rival Ohio State. Meet time is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) and will be taped by the Big Ten Network. The meet will air in its entirety Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.
“Ohio State is a very hard place to compete,” said Libby. “They are a tough team and I know they are gunning to beat us. It’s going to take everything we’ve got – a consistent, clean performance.”
Final Team ScoresPlace Team Vault Bars Beam Floor Total1. IOWA 48.850 48.900 48.350 48.950 195.0502. TWU 47.475 47.225 47.800 47.375 189.8753. UW-W 47.300 44.625 47.400 45.925 185.250
Individual Results (Winner plus Iowa)Vault1. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.825T2. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.775T2. Kara Pinjuv (IOWA) 9.7754. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.750T5. Arielle Sucich (IOWA) 9.725T5. Annie Szatkowski (IOWA) 9.725="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cu%3EUneven%20Bars%3C/u%3E%3Cstrong%3E1.%20%20%20%3Cahref="http: onlyfans.cstv.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/simbhudas_rebecca00.html"="">Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.8752. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.8253. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.750T4. Arielle Sucich (IOWA) 9.725T4. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 9.7256. Jennie Schurman (IOWA) 9.625="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cu%3EBalance%20Beam%3C/u%3E%3Cstrong%3ET1.%20%20%3Cahref="http: www.fansonly.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/gebeshian_houry00.html"="">Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.850T1. Kara Pinjuv (IOWA) 9.850T1. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.85011. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.57513. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 9.22514. Andrea Hurlburt (IOWA) 9.100="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cu%3EFloor%20Exercise%3C/u%3E%3Cstrong%3E1.%20%20%20Jenifer%20Simbhudas%20(IOWA)%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%209.9002.%20%20%3Cahref="http: www.fansonly.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/pinjuv_kara00.html"="">Kara Pinjuv (IOWA) 9.8753. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.8005. Arielle Sucich (IOWA) 9.725T7. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 9.65013. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.025="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cu%3EAll-Around%3C/u%3E%3Cstrong%3E1.%20%20%20%3Cahref="http: www.fansonly.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/gebeshian_houry00.html"="">Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 39.1502. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 39.1254. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 38.525="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>