The Michigan women's gymnastics team got its first taste of competition Saturday in an intrasquad meet at Cliff Keen Arena.
"We needed this," coach Bev Plocki said. "We needed to get out in front of crowds and judges to see how we'd fare under pressure."
Despite stellar all-around performances from freshman Sarah Cain and sophomore Lisa Simes, the Wolverines looked flat in the beam apparatus.
"It will take a few meets to get into the swing of the beam," Plocki said. "But I expected that because there's no room for error there.
"Nevertheless, it was important to get our mistakes out before the regular season."
Cain and Simes were the top two Wolverines in the balance beam apparatus and all-around scores. Cain finished with scores of 9.825 on the beam and 39.275 in the all-around, while Simes gained scores of 9.775 and 39.05 in the same events.
"I'm very pleased with Sarah's performance," Plocki said. "She's going to be a household name."
Cain's freshman class appears very talented, but Plocki isn't prejudging its potential.
"It's too early to tell yet how they'll be because this was only their first college competition," she said. "It was good for (Sarah Elizabeth) Langford to get her feet wet, especially in the beam."
Langford received scores of 9.3 in the vault and the beam. If all goes well, this should be the second straight year that Michigan freshmen make significant contributions.
Current sophomores Kathy Burke, Simes and Nikki Peters each competed in all four events Saturday.
Burke tallied a 9.625 in the beam and a 37.275 all-around. Peters (38 all-around) delivered the highlight of the evening on the bar apparatus, with a score of 9.9. Simes was an All-American last year in the all-around, while Peters received the honor in the vault apparatus.
A deep and relatively young lineup is especially important for the Wolverines right now, with the injuries to captain Andrea MacDonald and Beth Amelkovich.
"We've got lots of depth this year, so we won't need to rush their returns," Plocki said.
MacDonald has a stress fracture in her back that should keep her out of the first few meets of the new year.
"We don't need to push her because we know she can come back quickly," Plocki said. "We'll let her rest."
Amelkovich is suffering from a mysterious bone bruise on her foot. She still competed in the uneven bars apparatus Saturday, however, scoring a 9.4.
"She'll rest through Christmas and should be back in most events for the first meet," Plocki said.
Heather Kabnick also competed on all four apparatuses Saturday. The junior received the team's top scores in the vault (9.85) and the floor exercise (9.825) to a number of "La Cucaracha."
Kabnick's performance was not without adversity. "Heather's fall on the beam was a fluke," Plocki said.
Kabnick was an All-American in the vault, floor exercise, and all-around last year.
Michigan resumes action Jan. 11 in West Virginia and starts the Big Ten season a week later against Minnesota.
The Wolverines are searching for their sixth consecutive Big Ten title, and it appears they have the talent to do it.
But the regular season is a long way away, and Plocki is undecided as to whom her lineup will consist of.
"The starting six are completely open right now."