March 24, 2007

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Friday, March 23, 2007) The No. 36 Southeast gymnastics squad finished third in the quad meet Friday in Fayetteville, Ark. at the Barnhill Arena with a score of 192.975. First place went to No. 12 Arkansas with a season-high 196.450 followed by No. 18 Missouri who tallied 195.725. No. 51Texas Woman's University finished closely behind the Redhawks as they scored 192.000.

The Redhawks started the evening on the floor with a 48.600 which is only three tenths off their season-high. Leading the way for Southeast were freshmen Rikara Turner (Hastings, Minn./Twin City Twisters) and Jena Nguyen (Sioux City, S.D./All-American) who scored 9.750 and tied for 7th overall. They were followed closely by teammate Maureen Grimaldi (Kansas City, Mo./Eagle Gymnastics) who tallied an eighth place 9.725. Also with notable performances were Bryanna Wong (Parkville, Mo./Edge Gymnastics) and Sandra Blake (Tri-Cities, Wash./Mid-Columbia) as they scored 9.675 and 9.700 respectively.

On vault, Southeast scored a 48.300 and was led by Turner and Blake as their mark of 9.750 put them in a four-way tie for sixth place. Junior Alison Ezell also finished in the top 10 with a tally of 9.675.

Southeast's next event was bars as they totaled a third place 48.475. Blake paced the Redhawks as she landed in 5th with a 9.750. Teammate Grimaldi had a remarkable performance as well, placing 7th with a 9.700. Wong, Turner and Amber Garlotte (Lee's Summit, Mo./Eagle Gymnastics) snuck in the top 10 as they all scored 9.675 and tied for eighth.

The Redhawks finished the evening with a sour note on the beam as they had to count a fall and could only muster a 47.600. The only gymnasts to finish in the top 10 were Nguyen (9.750) and Grimaldi (9.675) as they finished sixth and ninth respectively.

Finishing the all-around for Southeast were Wong (38.550), Turner (38.125) and Blake (38.075) as they finished fourth through sixth respectively.

The Redhawks are currently fifteen hundredths of a point ahead of Illinois-Chicago as they hold the last spot for a berth in the South Central Regional. The Redhawks last opportunity to increase their RQS will be on Saturday, March 31st, as they will compete in the MIC championships held in Chicago, Illinois.