University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Iowa/Oklahoma
Minnesota Tops Iowa, Falls to Oklahoma
2/10/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
The No. 5 University of Minnesota men's gymnastics program posted a season-high team score of 417.200 in its win over No. 11 Iowa (414.650) and loss to No. 1 Oklahoma (426.600) on Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
"Tonight was a great competition for our team," head coach Mike Burns said. "We had our highest hit percentage, and it was a much cleaner meet for us. Overall there was high-level momentum, confidence and performance."
By event, the Gophers scored a 66.350 on pommel horse, 69.950 on rings, 70.150 on floor, 69.300 on parallel bars, 68.300 on high bar and 73.100 on vault. Minnesota's event scores on rings, parallel bars, high bar, vault were all season highs.
The Gophers started the meet on pommel horse. Justin Karstadt matched his season-best score with a 14.250 for third place. Alex Wittenberg placed sixth with a 13.400, and Tristan Duran rounded out the team's top-three performances with a 13.350 for seventh.
Karstadt 14.650 notched a personal record on rings with a 14.650 for bronze. Yaroslav Pochinka matched his career high with a 14.500 to tie for fourth. Jalon Stephens and Shashank Yallamraju each tallied a 13.650 ti tie for 12th overall.
Vitali Kan tied for silver with Sooner Tanner Justus after scoring a 14.300. Teammates Joel Gagnon and Wittenberg followed with scores of 14.250 to tie for fourth place.
On parallel bars, Ryan Bergman and Gagnon each scored a 13.950 to tie for eighth place. In his first performance in this event in the 2017 season, Shaun Herzog scored a 13.850 to share tenth place with Karstadt and a Sooner.
Herzog led the Gophers on high bar with a season-best 13.900 to tie for sixth. Michael Harris also posted his top score of the season, 13.750 for tenth. Stephens scored a 13.650 to tie for 11th.
Pochinka tied for silver with a 14.950 on vault to lead Minnesota. Gagnon earned a personal record of 14.850 to tie for sixth, while Kan placed ninth with a 14.750.
"Finishing the meet on vault was great" Burns said. "Pochinka had another high-level vault."
Minnesota did not have any individuals in the all-around competition.
"Going into a majority of the team having a week off with the Winter Cup. Having a meet like this really bodes well for our confidence as we head into the next few weeks of training as we move to five up, five count" said Burns.
Next Up
The 2017 Winter Cup Challenge will feature Golden Gophers Duran and Stephens, as well as Minnesota commits Shane Wiskus and Russell Johnson. The two day meet will take place in Las Vegas, Nev. on Feb. 16 and 18.
Players Mentioned
