AMES – In a meeting where the Cyclones looked to put the Cougars under severe pressure, it quickly turned into a devastating night for Iowa State.
As the Cougars stepped into Hilton Coliseum, earning a Big 12 win quickly became a reality. Iowa State fell in a 195.900-194.175 loss in one of the worst meets this season.
Overall performance
The Cyclones opened up their match against the Cougars on vault. In the event, the team earned 48.750 collectively. Two gymnasts tied for the team-leading score.
Following the vault, Iowa State took on the uneven bars. As the event ended, the team put up 48.875. The Cyclones trailed in both events at the halfway point of the meet.
Moving to the balance beam, the team earned 47.600 collectively. Balance beam, typically a core part of Iowa State’s routine, quickly came crashing down, giving the team its worst overall score of the night.
“Obviously, beam was a disaster for us today; I mean, that’s highly unusual to have, you know, that many mistakes,” Iowa State head coach Ashley Miles Greig said. “I was proud of them to come back from that and finish the meet and not let that get them unfocused.”
The Cyclones rounded out the tough night on the floor and earned 48.950. This score was the best score the team put up all night. After the disaster on the beam, this small victory was a great way to put a close to this meet.
All-around gymnasts and seniors Hannah Loyim and Josie Bergstrom Te-Slaa earned the top two spots. Loyim had a 39.050 to earn first and close behind in second place was Bergstrom Te-Slaa with a 39.025.
Individual performances
With a 9.775, senior Noelle Adams, freshman Haylee Hardin and two BYU gymnasts tied for fourth place.
Freshman Frederique Sgarbossa dominated the uneven bars to tie for first place with a Cougars gymnast. Sgarbossa earned a 9.875 on the event.
Following close behind was redshirt sophomore Kaia Bochow with a fourth-place tie with a BYU gymnast on uneven bars. Bochow scored a 9.800 to tie with BYU’s star gymnast Kylie Eaquinto.
Bergstrom Te-Slaa led all gymnasts with a 9.825 on the beam. Earning first place on the beam wasn’t the only place Bergstrom Te-Slaa dominated, as second place was earned in her all-around performance.
“It’s not easy. Every routine counts no matter the circumstances, so going out there doing your best no matter the situation is what matters, and yeah, that’s what the mentality has to continue to be,” Bergstrom Te-Slaa Said.
Veterans and newcomers both put up stellar individual performances
The individual routines of Loyim and Bergstrom Te-Slaa led the team at a time when resilience was needed.
With Loyim and Bergstrom Te-Slaa being seniors, these dominant performances were the leadership that this team needed to round out a rough meet.
Two freshmen worth spotlighting are Hardin and Sgarbossa, who both scored the highest individual scores. They both scored 9.875 in their respective events.
Sgarbossa and a BYU gymnast tied to lead all gymnasts on uneven bars. This was an early victory for the Cyclones, as they seemed to be in a slump.
Finally, Hardin took the best individual score with her floor routine. This was a key part of taking any success in an out-of-character night for the team.
“It feels good to trust my training and my teammates and being able to have my teammates back after an unusual mistake,” Hardin said.
Following this whirlwind of a night for Iowa State, the team looks to bounce back in its final home meet of the season, where they will host a tri-meet against Denver and NC State.
