Feb. 7, 2009
COLUMBUS, OH – In Big Ten competition Saturday night, the 25th-ranked University of Iowa GymHawks fell on the road to No. 17 Ohio State, 195.225-194.250. Iowa (6-3, 2-1 Big Ten) scored higher than Ohio State on three of the four events and had a competitor take first place on each event. Senior Jenifer Simbhudas and sophomore Houry Gebeshian shared second place in the all-around (39.050).
Freshman Annie Szatkowski scored a 9.850 to lead the GymHawks on vault, tying Ohio State’s Taylor Jones. It was Szatkowski’s her highest mark of the season thus far. Senior Kara Pinjuv was third with a 9.825, but it would be her only event of the night, sitting out the rest of the meet with an undisclosed injury.
“It’s a hard place to compete against a good team, but I think we were doing just fine,” said Iowa Head Coach Larissa Libby. “To me, I have never been more proud of the team than I was tonight. It could have been an absolute disaster after Kara went down, but they would not give up.”
Sophomore Rebecca Simbhudas shined for Iowa on uneven bars, finishing first with a 9.850. It was the second-best score she has ever received on bars this season, following last week’s 9.875 against Texas Woman’s Univ. and Wisconsin-Whitewater. Gebeshian also tied for second with a 9.750.
A below-average team score on floor cost Iowa a chance at a victory. However, J. Simbhudas took first place on the event for the GymHawks, scoring a 9.850. Freshman Amy Center, native of Mason, OH, was a late replacement for Pinjuv and scored a 9.550 in her collegiate debut.
Iowa showed no signs of slowing up on beam. R. Simbhudas (9.875), Gebeshian (9.850) and freshman Jessa Hansen (9.825) finished 1-2-3, with Simbhudas and Hansen’s scores becoming season-highs. In addition, Gebeshian tied her season-high. Senior Brandi Loffer, cracked the lineup for the first time this season, scoring a 9.125. Loffer had competed as an exhibition competitor in two meets earlier this season as she made her way back from knee injuries.
“Our beam performance was stellar,” said Libby. “Andrea has been our rock-solid starter all year. She got the ball rolling and everybody followed suit. We’re starting to see things come together for the young ones. They are digging deep and improving each week.”
The GymHawks stay within the state of Iowa for the next nine days, with two dual-meets scheduled with in-state rival Iowa State. This-coming Thursday, Feb. 12, the GymHawks will travel to Ames before returning home four days later, Feb. 16, to battle the Cyclones inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Both meets are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Final Team ScoresPlace Team Vault Bars Beam Floor Total1. Ohio State 48.900 48.650 48.750 48.925 195.2252. Iowa 48.925 48.725 48.875 47.725 194.250
Individual Results (Winner plus Iowa):VaultT1. Annie Szatkowski (Iowa) 9.850="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3ET1.%20Taylor%20Jones%20(OSU)%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%209.850%3Cstrong%3E3.%20%20%20%3Cahref="http: www.fansonly.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/pinjuv_kara00.html"="">Kara Pinjuv (Iowa) 9.8256. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.7757. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.7509. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.72512. Arielle Sucich (Iowa) 9.575="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
Uneven Bars1. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.850T2. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.750T5. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.725T8. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.700T8. Jessa Hansen (Iowa) 9.70012. Jennie Schurman (Iowa) 9.650="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%3Cstrong%3EBalance%20Beam1.%20%20%3Cahref="http: onlyfans.cstv.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/simbhudas_rebecca00.html"="">Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.8752. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.8503. Jessa Hansen (Iowa) 9.8259. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 9.70011. Andrea Hurlburt (Iowa) 9.62512. Brandi Loffer (Iowa) 9.125="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%3Cstrong%3EFloor%20Exercise%3C/strong%3E1.%20%20Jenifer%20Simbhudas%20(Iowa)%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%209.850T6.%20%3Cahref="http: onlyfans.cstv.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/hansen_jessa00.html"="">Jessa Hansen (Iowa) 9.750T8. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 9.72510. Amy Center (Iowa) 9.55011. Arielle Sucich (Iowa) 8.85012. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 8.125
All-Around1. Taylor Jones (Ohio State) 39.125T2. Houry Gebeshian (Iowa) 39.050T2. Jenifer Simbhudas (Iowa) 39.0505. Rebecca Simbhudas (Iowa) 37.600="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%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cimg%20src="/images/2016/6/1//thhh.jpg" width="180" height="62" class="imported">