Feb. 27, 2000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Illinois women's gymnastics team dropped a 194.225 to 193.300 decision to the Illinois State Redbirds Sunday afternoon at Huff Hall in Champaign. The loss drops the Illini to 5-8 overall while Illinois State improves to 12-3.

Freshman Karen Hawley had her best all-around meet of the season for the Illini setting career highs in four events. She earned top honors on bars (9.825), floor (9.850) and in the all-around (39.100), with new career high scores, and she tied a career-best on beam with a 9.800 to finish fifth.

Illinois began the dual with a slim lead after the first rotation, setting a season-high 48.450 on vault. Freshman Michelle Buranich set a new career-best with a 9.775, good for second place. She was followed by teammate Phaedra Dixon who scored a 9.725.

The Illini, who once again were without the services of defending Big Ten balance beam champion Gina Wiechmann who is out with an illness, faltered on the uneven bars to fall behind the Redbirds 96.500 to 96.300 and would never catch up. Dixon, the Illini's school record holder in the all-around, suffered a rare fall on bars to finish with a 38.225.

"We had a lot of strong performances from people who had been struggling a bit," head coach Bob Starkell said. "But some of our most consistent people didn't have a real strong meet and we're just kind of waiting for everyone to get on the same page at the same place."

"I'm happy with our score, although 194 would have helped a bit more," Starkell said, referring to the Illini's bid to claim one of the six regional spots. Illinois came into the meet ranked fifth in the Region 3, one spot ahead of Illinois State.

The next action for the Illini will be March 5 on the road at Denver.