MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The No. 17 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team lost its first Big Ten road meet of the season, 196.300-195.225 at No. 7 Minnesota on Saturday. Illinois tied a season high with a 49.100 team score on beam, but stellar performances kept the Golden Gophers in front for the entire meet.
"I think that we had many stellar routines at this meet," head coach Nadalie Walsh said. "I am very proud of them for how they continually are able to perform their routines under pressure. Im looking forward to getting back to practice to keep cleaning up the small things and to get a few more of our athletes healthy and able to get out there again!"
Matching scores of 9.875 from Shaylah Scott and Mia Takekawa and a season-high 9.750 from Rachel Borden helped the Illini tie their best beam mark of the season.
On vault, freshman Mia Townes tied her career high of 9.775, equaling a mark set just a week earlier against Michigan.
Senior Rae Balthazor returned to competition for the first time in 364 days with an exhibition beam routine to close the meet.
Illinois returns to action at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, February 2, at Maryland.
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