The Blugolds of UW-Eau Claire nipped the UW-Oshkosh Titans gymnastics team Friday night winning the competition 176.100 to 175.725.
Junior and team leader Stacie Jenkins said she and her teammates were shocked they were defeated by the Blugolds.
“The loss was a hard one to take,” Jenkins said. “We should have easily beat Eau Claire, but the way I look at it is we got out the ‘Regional jitters.’”
Senior Stefanie Armstrong also said she was also distraught over the loss.
“Losing to Eau Claire was a huge wake-up call to the team as a whole,” Armstrong said. “I feel like it reminded us that we do have Regionals this upcoming weekend, and we can't perform like we did if we want to succeed.”
The vault was key for the Blugolds and was led by Cece Solem from Eau Claire who scored a 9.200, which was good enough for first place. Jenkins (9.050) was among three girls who tied for second; the other two girls were Molly Senske and Sarah Hulbert, both from Eau Claire.
The Titans bounced back and placed first, second and third in the uneven parallel bars led by Mary Ann Oehlerking (9.175), Darlene Herrmann (9.075) and Jenkins (9.050).
The balance beam was the next event, which seemed like an easy win for Eau Claire’s Danielle Schulzetenberg who took first with a score of 9.150. The Titans, however, took the second-, third- and fourth-place finishes thanks to Paula Delsart (8.950), Jill Lindberg (8.850), and team captain Gretchen Fackelman (8.650).
Even though the Titans had strong finishes, Jenkins said the team still needs work.
“We have what it takes to be one of the best teams,” Jenkins said. “We just need to stay on the beam. It has been our flaw all year, and we have been working hard to change that.”
Eau Claire then stole any hope the Titans had for a comeback, taking four out of the five finishes in the floor exercise. Schulzetenberg added her second top finish with a final score of 9.475. Jenkins (9.325) came in second with Solem (9.175), Senske (9.150) and Samantha Howard (9.100), all from Eau Claire, rounding out third, fourth and fifth.
Jenkins, who usually has strong performances in all of her competitions, said she doesn’t do anything different.
“I like to keep the same mindset going into each meet,” Jenkins said. “I think of a meet as practice so my nerves don't get to the best of me.”
Although the Titans lost the competition, Jenkins was able to take first in the all-around performance with a score of 34.925. Solem (34.900) and Schulzetenberg (34.875) took second and third with Armstrong (34.075) taking fourth.
The Titans are hoping to make it to Nationals this weekend when the team travels to St. Peter, Minn., for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship & National Collegiate Gymnastics Association West Regional.
Armstrong said she knows the Titans have what it takes to qualify.
“This weekend we have to place in the top three to make it to Nationals,” Armstrong said. “We will make it happen.”
Blugolds’ vault victory crucial as Eau Claire clips Oshkosh by 0.375
Published: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Updated: Monday, March 8, 2010
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