University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Brown
N.C. State Wins URI Invitational, Minutewomen Finish Fifth
February 10, 2002 | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 10, 2002
KINGSTON, R.I. - Kelli Brown won the vault (9.650) and Cara Dougherty tied for first on the balance beam (9.900) as 24th-ranked North Carolina State brushed past four rivals to win the team title at the fourth-annual URI Invitational, here on Sunday afternoon.
UMass finished in fifth despite the individual brilliance of junior Katie Teft (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who tied her own school record (9.950) in winning the bars and tied for the beam title with N.C. State's Dougherty (9.000). Teft, a bar and beam specialist, has now won seven of 10 competitions this year.
Also starring for the Minutewomen were junior Jen Gendron (Shrewsbury, Mass.), who tied for first in floor exercise with a season-high 9.875, and sophomore Megan Donoghue (Tewksbury, Mass.), who finished fifth in the all-around competition.
The Wolfpack (8-2) ran up 194.600 points, their second-highest total of the season, helped by freshman Aimee Panton's second-place finish on bars (9.900) and a tie for second behind Brown in vault (9.575).
Host Rhode Island (4-4) took second with 190.925 points, helped by a tie for fourth in floor exercise by sophomore Nicole Leef and junior JoAnna Judge (9.825). Freshman Emily Domenick tied for sixth on bars (9.700), and fellow rookie Brooke Hamilton took sixth in all-around (37.800).
The Rams finished just ahead of surprising Brown University (7-4), which earned 190.450 to surpass its previous season best by nearly four and a half points. Yale (4-5) finished fourth with 189.650, edging out Massachusetts (1-9) at 189.575.
Sophomore Jayne Finst buoyed her upstart Brown team by tying for first in floor exercise with UMass junior Jen Gendron (9.875) and tying Yale freshman Kathryn Fong for third place in all-around (37.975). Fong intruded on an otherwise flat 1-2-3 finish by Brown gymnasts, led by sophomore Gina Verge (38.125) and senior Jessica Buck (38.075).
Brown, ranked 13th in the Northeast region, had been expected to look on as Yale, Rhode Island and UMass -- Nos. 6, 7 and 8, respectively -- contended for second place and jostled to move up in the rankings, which determine postseason NCAA berths.
The Minutewomen will return to action next weekend as they conclude a five-week road trip with a road meet at M.I.T. The dual meet is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16.
- UMass -
