Results
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Fighting Illini placed fourth with a score of 195.275 at the Big Ten Quad in College Park, Md. on March 1. No. 13 Minnesota placed first (196.625) followed by No. 15 Michigan (196.300) and host Maryland (196.150).
The Illini started on the beam, and it was once again Amelia Knight leading the way for the Orange and Blue with a 9.775. Chloe Cho and Ruthuja Nataraj followed suit with a pair of 9.700s.
Over on the floor, Tali Joelson and Knight started off the rotation 9.800s before Eden King came through with the Illini high score of 9.875.
The third rotation is where the Orange and Blue began to pick up steam. Kennedy Brown and Olivia Coppola started the vault action with a pair of career-high 9.875s. Cho joined the career high party, tying her previous best with a 9.900, tying for first place.
Illinois closed out the day on uneven bars, where Destiny Denning, Makayla Green, and Cho all earned 9.850s to lead the Illini.
"Today the team had many great highs, which will help the team to keep moving forward toward a strong postseason," head coach Nadalie Walsh said. "I'm really proud of the vault and bars teams for stepping up and being our best events. Beam was solid, but shakier than we should be, and the judging was definitely tight for all four teams tonight. This will only fire up the girls for next week."
Illinois will travel to Western Michigan for a quad meet on March 8. Action is slated to begin at 3 p.m. CT.
Event Winner
Chloe Cho - Vault (9.900)
Career Highs
Kennedy Brown - Vault (9.875)
Chloe Cho - Vault (9.900)
Olivia Coppola - Vault (9.875)
Tali Joelson - Vault (9.650)
Lyden Saltness - Balance Beam (9.600)
