Feb. 14, 2009
Results
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - An uneven performance by the No. 4 Penn State men's gymnastics team in its dual meet with No. 3 Illinois on Saturday evening foiled the Nittany Lions' designs on claiming a conference road win and resulted in a 345.500-339.800 defeat at Huff Hall in Champaign.
Penn State's outing was highlighted by a season-high score of 62.750 in the vault but diminished by season-low team totals in the pommel horse (52.600) and parallel bars (53.400). Illinois used its home gym advantage to its fullest, scoring well above its season averages in the pommel horse and vault.
The Nittany Lions won three of six events as a team while senior Casey Sandy (Brampton, Ont.) captured all four of Penn State's individual titles. The 2008 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year placed first in the floor exercise (15.150), still rings (14.550), vault (15.900), and parallel bars (14.400) on his way to claiming his fourth all-around crown of the season.
As it has throughout the 2009 season, Penn State shined in the floor exercise and the vault. Sandy, junior Nick Virbitsky (Harrisburg, Pa.), and junior Allen Harris (Lancaster, Pa.) finished 1-2-3 in the floor. Virbitsky contributed heavily to the Nittany Lions' setting a 2009 high score in the vault, placing third with a personal season best mark of 15.750.
Junior Noam Shaham (Kfar Saba, Israel) was also a key contributor, finishing second overall in the rings (14.400) and leading Penn State in the high bar with a score of 13.950.
After a well-deserved and much-needed week off, Penn State will host its first home meet in more than a month when the Nittany Lions welcome Big Ten preseason favorite, No. 8-ranked Ohio State to Rec Hall for a key conference dual meet on Sat., Feb. 28. First rotation is set to begin at 2 p.m. In 2008, Penn State used a season-high score of 360.550 to defeat the Buckeyes at St. John Arena in Columbus. Casey Sandy captured his fifth all-around title of the season and Vladi Klurman (16.250), Santiago Lopez (16.050), and Sandy (15.900) swept the top three spots in the vault to lead the Lions to victory.