Black Team Defeats Red Team in Gymnastics Intra Squad Meet :: Freshman Sandra Blake wins vault and all-around titles

Dec. 6, 2005

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Tuesday, December 06, 2005) The Redhawks gymnastics team kicked-off the 2006 season with a competitive and spirited intra squad meet at Parker Gymnasium that saw the Black Team come away victorious over the Red Team, 142.600-140.700.

The Red Team had a slim 108.100 to 108.050 lead heading into both of the team's final events. The Black Team scored a 34.550 on the floor to pull off the victory.

The Black Team was energized by a pair of freshmen. Sandra Blake (Tri-Cities, Wash./Mid-Columbia) won the vault and the all-around titles and fellow freshman Maureen Grimaldi (Kansas City, Mo./Eagles) won on the beam.

Blake won the vault with a score of 9.450 followed by teammate Chelsea Unold (Plymouth, Minn./Twin City Twisters) who tied Red Team member Starlyn Bell Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla./First City) for second with a score of 9.300. Kelsey Stauffer (San Antonio, Tex./USA Aerial Athletics) finished third with a score of 9.250 for the red Team.

Alison Ezell (Kansas City, Kan./ Alpha Omega) won the Black Team's second individual title when she scored a 9.450 on the uneven bars. Grimaldi finished second with a score of 9.400 followed by Danyelle Aber (Gurnee, Ill./ Ultimate Gymnastics) who scored 9.300 for the Red Team.

Grimaldi followed her second place finish on the bars by winning the beam with a score of 9.550, the meet's highest individual score in any event. Stauffer finished second with a score of 9.050 and Blake rounded out the top-three with a 9.000.

In the final event Brystol Powelski (Franklin, Wis./ Salto Gymnastics) earned the Red Team's lone individual title with a score of 8.900 on the floor exercises. Blake and Grimaldi tied for second with scores of 8.800 followed by Unold who scored 8.500.

Blake won the all-around with her combined score of 36.350. Stauffer finished second with a score of 35.400 and Grimaldi took third with a score of 34.950.

The team will look to improve on the exhibition meet when they return to the gym to prepare for their first meet of the season against No. 23 Kentucky on January 14, 2006 in Lexington.