Hawkeyes Upset Two Top-Ten Teams in Lincoln

March 15, 2014

Final Results

LINCOLN, Neb. — The seventh-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team recorded their second victory of the year as they recorded a season-high 437.250 at a five-team meet in Lincoln, Neb. The Hawkeyes found revenge against No. 5 Minnesota and No. 6 Illinois as each team scored a 432.000 and 434.850, respectively. No. 12 Nebraska finished with a 428.450 and No. 8 Air Force with a 422.000.

Today’s performance also helped two Hawkeye competitors tie individual event records. Sophomore Jacky Boyle tied junior Mitchell Landau’s record on horizontal bar as he recorded a 15.200. Landau set the record at Oklahoma on Feb. 1.

Redshirt senior Matt McGrath recorded a 15.600 on floor and tied sophomore Matt Loochtan’s record that was set last weekend at Minnesota.

“Today’s win was very exciting for us,” head coach JD Reive said. “We did exactly what we needed to do. We hit every routine that we performed and that was what we needed heading into Big Ten. We performed like we should have and that goes towards peeking into the post-season. All of the work that we do is getting us to that point.”

As the Hawkeyes began on parallel bars, both sophomore Jack Boyle and redshirt sophomore Cyrus Dobre-Mofid recorded scores of 14.850 and tied for eighth place. Junior Mitchell Landau finished 11th with a score of 14.600. Iowa also took an early lead after the rotation with a team score of 72.500.

On horizontal bar, Boyle recorded a team-high 15.200 while taking second on the event. Landau tied for fifth as he scored a 14.850 and redshirt junior Lance Alberhasky tied for seventh as he tallied a 14.750. With a team score of 73.750 on the event, the Hawkeyes continued their record-breaking streak by setting a new team record, breaking the previous record of 73.600 set on Feb. 1 at Oklahoma.

Redshirt senior Matt McGrath won floor with a 15.600, while junior Brandon Field recorded a 15.000 and tied for fourth. Dobre-Mofid scored a 14.850 and finished eighth.

Iowa continued to keep their lead with a score of 220.300 after three events. Sophomores Doug Sullivan and Del Vecchio Orozco led Iowa on pommel horse as they each scored a 14.100 and placed fourth. Sophomore Emmanuel Monroy followed with a 13.800 and took 14th. After the third rotation, the Hawkeyes lost the lead as they recorded a team score of 69.000 on the event.

McGrath led the Hawkeyes on rings with a 15.350 and took the runner-up spot on the event, while Loochtan placed fifth with a 15.100. Boyle finished in ninth place with a 14.750.

Heading into the final event, the Hawkeyes went neck in neck with Illinois. McGrath, once again, led Iowa on vault as displayed another impressive performance with a 15.300. McGrath’s vault also won him the event. Dobre-Mofid took eighth as he tallied a 14.800 and Field tied for ninth place by recording a 14.750.

The Hawkeyes head back to Lincoln, Neb. to compete in the Big Ten Championships March 28-29.