Gymnastics conquers Illinois in Beauty and the Beast

The Tigers achieved their seventh highest score in team history.

By Sean Leahy

Published Feb. 16, 2009

After junior Sarah Shire learned Missouri's score at the end of a meet against Illinois, she found it hard to stay composed.

"I was jumping up and down and screaming," Shire said.

In the third annual Beauty and the Beast meet, No. 13 Missouri (7-1,1-1 Big 12) finally caught up with the elusive 196.000 team score and beat No. 17 Illinois 196.625 to 195.000.

Missouri's overall score was the seventh highest in team history and the balance beam score of 49.250 was third highest. The Tigers also cracked the top 10 in school history with their sixth-best 49.300 on floor exercise.

"I think everything came together nicely," coach Rob Drass said. "From top to bottom the team did an excellent job of being relaxed but also focused and aggressive."

Missouri claimed at least a tie for first in all four events and swept the top three spots in the all-around, with Shire in first followed by senior Adrianne Perry and freshman Mary Burke.

Shire set a personal record with her 39.525 all-around score. The title was her fifth of the season and third in a row.

"I take it one event at a time and one skill at a time," Shire said. "This year, it's clicking for me."

Shire claimed the floor title and tied for first place on vault and the balance beam. Perry tied a season-high with her 9.850 score on vault and Burke's 39.175 all-around score tied her career-best.

"We did exactly what we are capable of," Shire said. "Tonight we were in sync and everything clicked."

After posting two solid team scores in vault and the uneven bars, Missouri turned it up a notch on the balance beam. Shire led the way by tying her career-high of 9.925 and Missouri cracked the 49.000 level for the first time this year. Balance beam was the only event in which the Tigers had yet to reach that score.

The Tiger's momentum carried to the floor exercise where Missouri pulled away from Illinois. The victory was not only Missouri's second against Illinois this season. It also saw the Tigers post a team score that should move them up in the national rankings.

"Hitting 196.000 means we are putting all of our routines together on the same night," senior Alicia Hatcher said. "The work we are doing in the gym is transferring over into the competitions."

Hatcher capped off a big week with a win in the uneven parallel bars and a career-high score of 9.825 on the floor exercise. Hatcher was named this year to the Mizzou '39.

"It's nice to recognized, but at the end of the day, I want to be there for my team," Hatcher said. "I think I did that tonight."

The Tiger's record-setting night came just in time for their trip to Oklahoma next weekend. The No. 8 Sooners represent a major conference road challenge for Missouri.

"We are going to bring it down to Oklahoma, just like we did tonight," Shire said.