No. 8 Hawkeyes top No. 7 Fighting Illini, 428.450-428.400

No. 8 Hawkeyes top No. 7 Fighting Illini, 428.450-428.400

Feb. 16, 2013

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The No. 8 University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team won at seventh-ranked Illinois today at Huff Hall, earning a season-high 428.450.The Hawkeyes claimed four event titles in today’s meet.

Freshman Matt Loochtan led the Hawkeyes on floor. Loochtan took the event title with a score of 15.300. Classmate Jack Boyle scored 14.450 to earn third place. As a team, Iowa topped Illinois 71.850-71.750 on the floor exercise.

Freshman Eric Lofstrom paced Iowa on pommel horse, finishing in second place with a score of 14.500. Illinois beat Iowa 71-750-70.600 on pommel horse.

Seniors Javier Balboa and Anton Gryshayev scored a 14.700 to tie for second place with Joey Peters of Illinois on rings.

Sophomore Mitchell Landau was Iowa’s top finisher on vault. Landau took fifth place with a 14.550. Sophomore William Albert tied with Balboa to place sixth (14.450). Fred Hartville of Illinois took the title with a score of 15.100.

Balboa earned first place on parallel bars (14.900), followed by Boyle in second with a 14.700. The Hawkeyes outscored the Fighting Illini 71.550-67.850 on the parallel bars.

Landau earned first on the high bar with a 14.500. Sophomore Lance Alberhasky finished in second place with a score of 14.350. The Hawkeyes finished just ahead of Illinois on high bar (70.600-70.050).

Balboa took the all-around title with an 85.600. Alberhasky scored an 83.400, finishing third.

Illinois finished the meet with a score of 428.400.

Iowa will return to action Feb. 23. The Hawkeyes are set to host No. 9 Nebraska at 5:00 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.