Dec. 7, 2006

Southeast Gymnastics is entering its final month of preparation for the 2007 season and on Thursday night the team put on quite a show for those in attendance at Parker Gymnasium. The Black Team came away with the victory but the fans were treated to a great evening of entertainment as both squads performed well. The newcomers for the Redhawks showed that they belong as they matched the veterans on each event and garnered 7 spots in the top three of the individual events.

The All-Around winner for the event was sophomore Sandra Blake (Kennewick, WA) with a score of 37.950. Blake performed great routines on three of four events, capturing the event titles on vault and balance beam while also sharing the bars title with fellow sophomore Maureen Grimaldi (Kansas City, MO). Blake scored a 9.700 on both the vault and balance beam and her score on the bars was a 9.650.

The floor exercise crown was captured by freshman Rikara Turner (Hastings, MN), with a score of 9.550, who was competing in her first collegiate meet. Junior Alison Ezell (Kansas City, KS) and freshman Jena Nguyen (Sioux Falls, SD) tied for second place on the event with matching scores of 9.500. Nguyen also finished second on the balance beam with a score of 9.650.

Freshman Bryanna Wong (Parkville, MO) rounded out the top three on the balance beam with a 9.600. Behind Blake and Grimaldi on the uneven bars was freshman Amber Garlotte (Lee's Summit, MO) with a score of 9.600. Garlotte also finished second on the vault with a score of 9.550, just beating out Nguyen and Turner who each scored a 9.450 on the event.

Second place in the All-Around went to Nguyen, with a 37.200, and third place belonged to Garlotte, with a 37.150.

The Black Team competitors consisted of Nguyen, Ezell, Garlotte, Grimaldi, and freshman Jacqueline Heath (St. Cloud, MN) who competed on the uneven bars and compiled a score of 9.050. Competitors for the Red Team were Turner, Blake, Wong, sophomore Starlyn Schwartz (Pensacola, FL), and freshman Kelley Krengiel (Lemont, IL). Krengiel, like Heath, competed on the uneven bars and turned in a score of 9.500.

Southeast Gymnastics will host its first meet of the season on Saturday January 13th, 2007 against the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. The meet is set for 7:00 p.m. in Houck Field House.