Jan. 19, 2013

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #2 Michigan 197.350, Illinois 195.100
Records: U-M (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten), Illinois (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
Attendance: 2,114
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 26 -- at Minnesota, vs. Iowa State (Minneapolis, Minn.), 6 p.m. CST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team won swept all four events and the all-around to improve on its program-best start, taking down Illinois for the 36th consecutive time, 197.350-195.100, on Saturday (Jan. 19) inside Crisler Center. It was the Wolverines' highest score -- regular season or postseason -- since March 7, 2008, vs. Georgia (197.600).

Senior Katie Zurales (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) won the all-around (39.575), while junior Joanna Sampson (Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Moreland) was right behind in second (39.550), both new career highs. Sampson won vault (9.925) and floor exercise (9.950), with Zurales taking the uneven bars crown (9.925) and sharing the balance beam title (9.875) with juniorShelby Gies (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central).

The Wolverines were in front from the very beginning, putting up its highest vault score of the season to date (49.300) while occupying the top three places on the award stand. Sampson (9.925) and Zurales (9.900) led the charge, finishing first and second, respectively, but Michigan's depth was once again the key. A trio of gymnasts recorded identical 9.825 scores to tie for third, including junior Stephanie Colbert (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), sophomore Sachi Sugiyama(Keller, Texas/Keller) and senior Natalie Beilstein (Butler, Pa./Knoch), who made her season debut in the vault lineup.

Zurales set the tone for the Wolverines in the next rotation on uneven bars, scoring a 9.925 in the leadoff position to finish first. Michigan faced its only adversity of the night on uneven bars, as freshman Lindsay Williams (Northville, Mich./Northville) scored a 9.175 in the second spot. The Wolverines rallied, as the next four competitors up each scored above 9.800 -- Sampson and senior Brittnee Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty) at 9.875 (tied for second), Gies at 9.850 (fourth) and Sugiyama at 9.800. After two rotations, Michigan led 98.625-97.550.

Michigan really turned it up on balance beam, increasing its lead over Illinois to over two full points after the Fighting Illini managed to score only 48.300 over on floor exercise. All five scores were above 9.800, including Williams (9.825), who was also celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Sophomore Annette Miele (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) led off the rotation, finishing fourth with a 9.850. Martinez and Sampson each recorded 9.800s, but it was Zurales and Gies who tied for the event title, scoring 9.875 to pace the Wolverines' effort.

Needing at least 49.150 to crack 197.000, the Wolverines were able to get that and then some, closing the meet with an energetic rotation on floor exercise, scoring 49.500. Michigan didn't give many tenths away during the six routines, as the final three scores were each above 9.900, including Sugiyama at 9.900 (fourth), junior Reema Zakharia (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables Senior High) at 9.925 (tied for second) and Sampson at 9.950 (first). The other two counted scores came from Zurales (9.875; fifth) and Beilstein (9.850), while Colbert contributed a 9.825.

Michigan heads back out on the road for its next competition, facing Minnesota and Iowa State in a tri-meet next Satuday (Jan. 26) in Minneapolis, Minn. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. CST.