Feb. 12, 2009
AMES, IA – With one point in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series on the line, the No. 25 University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team (7-3, 2-1 Big Ten) traveled to Ames, IA, Thursday night and upset rival No. 19 Iowa State (0-6), 194.375-193.825. The GymHawks scored higher than the Cyclones in all four events and also had individuals win two events. It is Iowa’s first win over Iowa State in Ames since the February 1993.
Sophomore Houry Gebeshian won the all-around competition with a 39.100. The Newton, MA, native has taken first place in the all-around in three of Iowa’s six competitions this season and has second place finishes in two others. Senior Jenifer Simbhudas finished third in the all-around (38.500).
“They keep putting up great performances week in and week out,” said head coach Larissa Libby. “Houry is so mentally tough, she won’t let up. It was a struggle for her tonight. You could see the fatigue begin to set in for her, but she put up great performances on all four events. She deserved to win that all-around.”
For the second week in a row, freshman Annie Szatkowski led Iowa on vault, scoring a 9.825 and tying for first place. She scored a 9.850 last weekend at Ohio State. The Simbhudas’ sisters, Jenifer and Rebecca, tied for fourth place with identical scores of 9.775, while Gebeshian tied for sixth place (9.750). Freshman Rachel Corcoran, competing for the injured Kara Pinjuv, scored a 9.700 in her first meet action since Jan. 9 against LSU and Southeast Missouri State.
Gebeshian and J. Simbhudas were brilliant on bars, tying for first place with matching scores of 9.800. R. Simbhudas scored a 9.750, good for a tie for fourth place and freshmen Jessa Hansen and Jennie Schurman both put in solid performances of 9.700 and 9.675, respectively.
Both teams had their share of struggles on balance beam, but Iowa again held an advantage over Iowa State. Gebeshian led Iowa on the event with a 9.750, good for a tie for second. The GymHawks also got a boost from senior Brandi Loffer, who cracked the lineup for only the second time this season as a regular competitor. Libby acknowledged that Loffer was still not 100 percent, but the senior came through in the clutch, scoring a 9.625.
The GymHawks really turned up the heat on floor, scoring a 49.025 as a team, their second-highest mark of the season. Sophomore Kristen Ward stepped up big for the GymHawks in her first meet action this season as a regular, scoring a career-high 9.875 and a share of second place. Fellow sophomore Arielle Sucich turned in her strongest performance of the evening, tying J. Simbhudas in fifth place with a 9.825. Junior Jenny Donar scored a solid 9.700 performance in her first meet action since early January.
After the meet, Libby praised the efforts of Corcoran, Ward and Loffer in replacing the void left by the injured Pinjuv.
“They are the real champions tonight,” said Libby. “You can’t replace a Kara Pinjuv, but they stepped up big time and are the real MVPs tonight. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The tally in the 2008-09 Cy-Hawk Series now stands 16-4 in favor of the Hawkeyes with two events remaining. Iowa has clinched this year’s cup, making it their third series win since the challenge began in 2005.
Iowa and Iowa State will compete again this Monday night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena with one more point on the line. It is Iowa’s annual “Pink Meet”. Meet time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Final Team Scores
Place Team Vault Bars Beam Floor Total1. IOWA 48.825 48.725 47.800 49.025 194.3752. Iowa State 48.775 48.600 47.625 48.825 193.825
Individual Results (Winner plus Iowa):VaultT1. Annie Szatkowski (IOWA) 9.825="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/strong%3ET1.%20Ceilia%20Maccani%20(Iowa%20State)%20%20%20%20%209.825%3Cstrong%3ET4.%20%20%3Cahref="http: www.fansonly.com/schools/iowa/sports/w-gym/mtt/simbhudas_jenifer01.html"="">Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.775T4. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.775T6. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.7509. Rachel Corcoran (IOWA) 9.70011. Arielle Sucich (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%3EUneven%20Bars%3C/strong%3E%3Cstrong%3ET1.%20%20%3Cahref="http: hawkeyesports.cstv.com/sports/w-gym/mtt/gebeshian_houry00.html"="">Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.800T1. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.8004. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.750T7. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 9.7009. Jennie Schurman (IOWA) 9.67511. Arielle Sucich (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/ahref="http:>
Balance Beam1. Megan Barnes (Iowa State) 9.825T2. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.7505. Rebecca Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.700T6. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 9.625T6. Brandi Loffer (IOWA) 9.62510. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.10012. Andrea Hurlburt (IOWA) 9.000="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
Floor Exercise1. Michelle Browning (Iowa State) 9.900T2. Kristen Ward (IOWA) 9.875T5. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 9.825T5. Arielle Sucich (IOWA) 9.8257. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 9.8008. Jenny Donar (IOWA) 9.70012. Jessa Hansen (IOWA) 8.950="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
All-Around1. Houry Gebeshian (IOWA) 39.1003. Jenifer Simbhudas (IOWA) 38.500="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>