Results
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Illini placed third at the Zou to the Lou Quad vs. No. 9 Missouri, No. 14 Alabama, and Iowa on Feb. 14. Illinois was defeated by the two ranked teams, but finished ahead of the Hawkeyes.
The Orange and Blue started the night on beam, where Chloe Cho tied a career-high 9.925 to lead the way. She would go on to win the event. Ruthuja Nataraj and Olivia Coppola followed with a 9.800 each. After the first rotation, the Illini were in third with a score of 49.050.
Moving onto floor, Emmalise Nock torched up the mat with a 9.900, a season high for the senior. Cho followed suit with a 9.850, helping the Illini climb into second after two rotations.
On the vault, Arielle Ward's 9.875 led the way for the Illini, with Cho's 9.825 close behind. Vault was the Illini's weakest event of the night, causing them to slide back into third place before the final rotation.
In the final rotation, Cho shattered her uneven bars career high, earning a 9.950 and a share of the event title. Ward also tied her career high, but despite the solid scoring, it was too little, too late for the Orange and Blue.
All in all, the contest wasn't without its bright spots.
"Chloe was an absolute rock star tonight," said head coach Nadalie Walsh. "She was ill and unable to train very much this week, but today she felt better and crushed her routines. This was a really solid away meet for the team. Each event had moments where we could've been a little sharper, but overall it was a great day. The team accomplished their goal of hitting all 24 routines, and now we're looking forward to resting and showing up strong on Sunday at Iowa."
The Fighting Illini won't have to wait long for their next opportunity. They'll take on the Hawkeyes in a rematch on Sunday, Feb. 16 at Xtream Arena in Iowa City, Iowa at 2 p.m. CT.
Team Results
- No. 9 Missouri - 197.150
- No. 14 Alabama - 196.675
- Illinois - 196.200
- Iowa - 195.000
Event Winners
Chloe Cho - Uneven Bars (9.950), Balance Beam (9.925)
Career Highs
Chloe Cho -Â Uneven Bars (9.950), All-Around (39.550)
Arielle Ward - Uneven Bars (9.850)
