nice story

Gym'Backs shoot Tigers down, take second conference win
By Jenna Salkin

Last week, the UA gymnastics team faced a Southeastern Conference opponent not in the top three in the nation.

They got a break again this weekend in Alabama as the No. 12 Arkansas Gym'Backs [5-10, 2-4 SEC] defeated the No. 14 Auburn Tigers 196.325 - 195.400.

"We came in with a lot of determination and purpose to get the job done," said co-head coach Rene Cook. "We wanted to do our job and let the chips fall where they may. We did a great job of staying focused and working hard."

Arkansas set or tied four individual season-bests and two team-bests, according to a press release. Arkansas had the top score of the year and four individual wins.

Freshman Sarah Nagashima led Arkansas in the first rotation tying her season and career-best with a 9.825 on the bars, according to the release. A pair of 9.80s from freshman Casey Jo Magee and junior Emily Peacock helped the Gym'Backs to a 48.925, their fourth best bars mark of the year, according to the release.

Auburn kept Arkansas on its toes and tied its season-best with a 49.150 on the vault to lead after the first rotation.

Arkansas posted a school record on their second rotation with a 49.125 on the vault. Freshman Michelle Stout tied for the individual title with a 9.875, and the event separated the two teams.

Sophomore Alexandra LaChance led the Gym'Backs with a season-best 9.85 followed by a season and career-best from Springdale native Ashly McPherson with a 9.80, according to the release. Stout, competed in just one event and added a 9.875. She was followed by a 9.825 from junior Samantha Cortez.

Arkansas was ranked No. 12 in the nation on vault last week.

Auburn came into the meet ranked No. 11 on the bars, but the first three gymnasts fell or had near falls to hurt its scoring, according to the release. Arkansas started to pull away with a 98.050-97.225 lead after two rotations.

"It was great to get that bit of separation," Cook said. "Auburn struggled a bit and it's sad to see that but we did get some confidence from that knowing they had to chase us."

 

This is a joke, right?

 

Why are you posting a gymnastics game story?

And why does the story use UA on the first reference?

 

I feel like Jerry Seinfeld talking about McDonald's hamburgers: "100 billion served? Yeah, ok, I'll have one"

 

I'm confused ...

 

"We came in with a lot of determination and purpose to get the job done," said co-head coach Rene Cook. "We wanted to do our job and let the chips fall where they may. We did a great job of staying focused and working hard."

Compelling stuff. Takes a heck of a reporter to get a coach to open up like this.

 

And in another thread, someone called for the bunny with the pancake on its head?

This is exactly where that photo belongs!

 

Cook added, "Auburn is well-coached."

 

Thanks for stopping by, Jenna.

I especially loved the three bolded parts. Real hard-hitting enterprise stuff. You keep working those phones and fax machines and you'll be at the Plain-Dealer in no time.

 

This whole story appears to have been written straight from a press release. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but why is it here?

 

Let's put it this way:

Fixed.