Lion gymnasts off mark at Big Tens
Gymwomen beam into 3rd place

By GEOFFREY MOSHER
Collegian Sports Writer

Gymnast Karen Cimochowski wanted the Lady Lions to put in a solid performance at the Big Ten championships on Saturday -- but the senior tri-captain didn't expect her teammates to fall five times on the balance beam.

"We would have liked to have done better on the beam," senior tri-captain Kerry Slattery said. "We will in regionals."

Penn State still performed well and captured third place, despite its worst performance on beam this year.

The No. 9 Lady Lions (17-13, 8-3 Big Ten) scored 192.375 points to take third. No. 4 Michigan led the conference competition for the fourth straight year (196.5) while Michigan State came in second (193.025). Rounding out the field were fourth-place Minnesota (191.675), fifth-place Illinois (190.425), sixth-place Iowa (189.975) and seventh-place Ohio State (189.775).

Penn State came up big on the first two events -- including an inspired floor exercise.

Lady Lion Coach Steve Shephard had to juggle the floor lineup due to a knee injury that sidelined junior Bridget Foley. Shephard put freshman Nicole Malinak on floor for the first time in her Penn State career. Malinak stifled the pressure and recorded a 9.325.

Sophomore Bea Selz and freshman Liz Agnew were also solid on floor, each scoring a 9.625. For Agnew, it was her first meet after being out with mononucleosis. For Selz, it was a career-high performance.

Sophomore Leigh Capello also scored a career-high 9.775 on floor, while freshman Joanna Knox scored a 9.725.

"The floor team is to be totally commended," Slattery said. "It was one of the best floor routines of the year."

Saturday night was also a good night for Knox. In her first Big Ten championships, she finished third in the all-around competition (39.175), putting up solid scores in each event -- floor (9.725), uneven bars (a career-high 9.8), vault (9.95) and beam (9.8). Knox placed third in the vault and fifth on beam.

Knox attributed her success to the team's performance.

"It was a team meet," she said. "Everyone doing so well made it so much easier."

Knox and Slattery were the only Lady Lions to complete their beam routines (9.7) without falling. Falls by Cappello (9.15), Malinak (9.0), junior Michelle Manzolillo (9.175) and two by senior tri-captain Tracy Kerner gave the Lady Lions a low event score (46.85).

"I think Tracy's knee bothered her more than she thought," Shephard said.

Kerner's knee might have bothered her on beam, but it was a different story on bars. Kerner placed third in the competition with a 9.875.

Kerner's efforts were valiant, but Michigan senior Beth Wymer dominated the competition.

Wymer won the all-around competition (39.675) for the second consecutive year. She tied teammate Wendy Marshall for first place on vault, each scoring a perfect 10. Wymer also scored a 10 on vault at the championships last season, becoming the first gymnast to get a perfect score in any event at the championships.

This year, Wymer also placed first in the beam (9.9), third on bars (9.85) and first on floor (9.925).