Women's Gymnastics Wins 2007 Midwest Independent Championship
March 31, 2007
Chicago, Ill.- For the fifth time in the last six seasons the UIC women's gymnastics team ended the year as the cream of the crop in the Midwest Independent Conference, as the Flames captured the 2007 MIC Championship at the UIC Physical Education Building on Saturday evening. UIC posted a final tally of 193.900 to win the program's 10th all-time Midwest Independent crown. Illinois State turned in a runner-up score of 193.75, edging out third-place Southeast Missouri State's 193.300. Texas Women's University (191.250) and Centenary (190.575) rounded out the field. The Flames featured two individual conference champions. Sophomores Ashley Thurston and Zandre Labuschagne claimed bars and beam titles, respectively. After the meet the 2007 MIC Athlete of the Year was revealed to be UIC's Annie Kachman. The super sophomore had a stellar second season as the Flames' leading all-arounder. Thurston gave a career-best performance on bars, accumulating a career-high 9.875 on the apparatus to edge out Labuschagne (9.850) in the event rankings. Labuschagne would get in on the championship spoils two rotations later, as the second-year standout thrilled the crowd with an amazing beam performance that garnered a 9.825. Senior Jessie Jaworowicz had a stellar meet in her final performance at the PEB. Jaworowicz placed second in the all-around with a 38.925, which was reached thanks to a solid overall showing that featured a second-place beam score of 9.8 and a fifth-place floor exercise tally of 9.7. UIC took an early lead in the meet after leading off with a 48.625 on vault and a 48.9 on bars. Following a bye in the third rotation, the Flames stumbled a bit on beam and saw their lead diminish.
In the fifth and final rotation the pressure was on the Flames as they headed to floor exercise. Before the event began Weyer was forced out of the lineup due to injury, but the team persevered and closed out with Zelinski's 9.7 and Kachman's 9.675 to hold on for the win. Senior Jess Panos, who suffered a serious leg injury two weeks ago, came back to lend a huge hand on vault with a 9.75. The Flames will learn of their NCAA postseason fate this Monday. |
