WG: Cyclones Knock Off Illinois and NIU

[Jeremy]

WG: Cyclones Knock Off Illinois and NIU
Media Relations

Champaign, Ill. - The 10th-ranked Iowa State gymnastics team recorded a season-best 196.425 to upend 24th-ranked Illinois and Northern Illinois Sunday afternoon. Illinois took second place (195.875) and Northern Illinois finished in third (191.225). Senior Janet Anson stole the show, dominating the all-around and setting a season high 39.525. Anson took first-place honors on vault (9.950) and floor (9.925), winning her 15th career all-around title.

The Cyclones (9-3 overall, 2-2 Big 12) set 12 individual season-high scores and set team season highs on vault, bars and in the all-around. Iowa State put together scores over 49.000 on three of the four events for the first time this season.

“I am really pleased with today’s performance especially on the first three events," said Iowa State head coach Jay Ronayne. "We have been working lots on floor and doing lots of routines, trying to make everyone of them count."

Iowa State began the afternoon on floor where Anson gave yet another stellar performance. Anson captured the 23rd floor title of her career, tying her season-high score of 9.925. It was the 11th 9.925 of her career and the 26th time she has scored over a 9.90. Freshman Katie Sweetin also turned in a strong performance for the Cyclones with a season-high score 9.850. Jasmine Thompson also chipped in a 9.80 for the Cyclones, helping Iowa State score over a 49.000 on the floor for the second time this season.

"I am glad we started on floor because we have paid so much attention to it [this week] so it was nice that we didn’t have to worry about it and could focus on the other events," said Ronayne.

On the vault, Sweetin landed a season-high 9.825 to get the Cyclones going. Katie Lasher and Megan Barnes also followed Sweetin with season-best vaults, both scoring 9.875. Anson nailed her vault, igniting the Cyclones and keeping her strong performance from the floor going. She scored a 9.950, ISU's highest score on the vault. The vault title was the 24th of Anson's career. The team vault score (49.350) was a season high for the Cyclones.

Iowa State performed strongly on bars as well, posting a season-high 49.375. Seniors Lasher (9.925) and Anson (9.90) anchored the Cyclones in a strong third rotation. Lasher set a career high taking a share of first place. Jasmine Thompson, Nikki Dilbert and Ceilia Maccani tied for fifth with a 9.850. The Cyclones did not count a score lower than a 9.850 in this rotation and all five scores either tied or set season highs.

"There were so many great performances today that it’s hard to narrow them down, but Katie Lasher had a great day," Ronayne said. "Her vault was great, probably her best vault of the year. Not even counting scores, but in performance overall and she had an awesome bars routine too."

Entering the final rotation, ISU had a 147.750-147.175 lead over Illinois and more than a five point lead over Northern Illinois.

Sweetin helped clinch the victory for the Cyclones with a second-place 9.850 on the beam. Barnes and Anson tied for fifth in the event with a score of 9.750.

Ronayne also said, "We are right were we should be [in the season] and have room for improvements. We keep setting goals and are starting to perform routines that will score where we want to be. We want to be somewhere in the top 10 [in the National GymInfo rankings] going into Regionals.”

The Cyclones will face Minnesota next in Ames on Friday at 7 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum. On Sunday, Iowa State will travel to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes in the next event of the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk series.