Final Results (PDF) | Gallery
TOLEDO, Ohio - No. 23 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics recorded a season-high team score of 196.550 Friday at the Elevate the Stage Big Five meet at the Huntington Center in Toledo. Illinois finished second out of five teams, 0.200 behind No. 16 Nebraska.
The Illini recorded season highs as a team on vault (49.200) and bars (49.250). Shaylah Scott's 9.900 on vault was the highest by an Illini on the season. Illinois entered the meet with three individual vault scores better than 9.800 on the year. Four Illini recorded scores of 9.825 or better Friday.
"[The team] had amazing energy and amazing team chemistry," head coach Nadalie Walsh said. "They wakled into the arena knowing that they could be champs, and I think they did an outstanding job. It feels really good to see them get a score that they've been striving for, and they weren't striving tonight. They just did it."
Senior Karen Howell won the bars title with a career-high-tying 9.925 and finished with an all-around score of 39.375, the highest by an Illini on the year. Freshman Arayah Simons tied for the floor title with a score of 9.900 to tie her career high.
"I'm so proud of Karen," Walsh said. "Being a senior in the all-around and nailing every event. It's always great to watch your seniors do an amazing job."
The Orange and Blue return to action March 1 at Huff Hall against Central Michigan on Senior Day.
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