For those scoring at home, the No. 14 Gophers women’s gymnastics team split this weekend’s competition 1-1, though it only faced one opponent.
The Iowa women’s athletics department handed down an unable-to-compete ruling to the Hawkeyes, an action taken because of an unspecified violation of team policy. This left the Gophers in a unique situation on Friday, competing against themselves for points.
The team registered a school-record score of 49.350 on the floor exercise. Freshman Megan Beuckens took first in the event with a personal-best 9.925, tops among Gophers gymnasts this year. Beuckens joined four other athletes who set or tied career bests on the floor exercise.
Sophomore Shanyn Lancaster triumphed in the vault for the second straight meet, with a personal and Minnesota season-best 9.9, and MaryAnne Kelley won the all around, setting a career best with 39.025.
With the season “sweep” of Iowa accomplished, the Gophers journeyed northwest to renew pleasantries with No. 20 Iowa State.
The Cyclones were casualties of a come-from-behind Minnesota win on Feb. 6 at the Sports Pavilion, but Iowa State vindicated itself with a comeback win of its own on Sunday afternoon.
Compiling the second-highest point total in team history with 195.775, the Gophers still could not get themselves a team win. They did turn in a season-high on the balance beam, however, with five athletes setting or tying season bests.
Individual highlights included Judy Cavazos winning the uneven bars, and tying for first on the floor exercise. Cavazos also tied for second place on the beam with a career-best score of 9.85.
The Gophers return to the confines of the Sports Pavilion Mar. 12 when they host a rematch against West Virginia. It will be their first home meet since Feb. 13, and the month in between saw Minnesota go 2-2, giving the team a season record of 4-4.