Highs and lows for Michigan gymnasts at nationals

Balance beam miscue ends NCAA title hopes

LOS ANGELES - One slip was all it took to crush the hopes of advancement for the Michigan women's gymnastics team and the NCAA championship at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.

The downfall for the Wolverines was the balance beam, where a 47.725 marked the round's worst score for the event.

Despite the dramatic improvement by Michigan in the last three events, the Wolverines will not be represented at the 'Super 6' for the first time in five years. This unforeseen reality was hard for Michigan to grasp. They failed to advance by a heartbreaking margin - 0.25 points.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily The Michigan women's gymnastics team failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament's 'Super 6' yesterday in Los Angeles for the first time in five years.

"It is hard to believe we won't be competing tomorrow," Michigan coach Bev Plocki said. "I cannot believe our season is over."

Failing to place a gymnast in the top 20 on the balance beam, Michigan saw its top score, a 9.750, mustered by sophomore Sarah Cain.

Fighting for survival after the disaster on the beam, the Wolverines showed vast improvement on their next two events. They finished third on the floor exercise, and displayed a second-place performance on the vault.

"I was extremely proud of the way they never gave up," Plocki said. "After having a horrible balance beam score, we could have just packed it in. But they showed why they have been successful all year."

Junior Nikki Peters was key in Michigan's turnaround effort with a first-place score on the uneven bars, tallying a 9.950.

Michigan's Heather Kabnick, Cain and Peters had strong performances in the competition, thus the all-star trio will advance to the individual event finals tomorrow evening - making each one an All-American.

"They performed just as I expected them to," Plocki said. "They have competed at this type of competition on many occasions and are mentally focused on the situation."

Kabnick will compete in floor exercise and vault, while Peters and Cain will try their luck on uneven bars and floor exercise, respectively. After a notable turnaround, the Wolverines headed into their final event, the uneven bars, with an ultimatum upon which the fate of the 1998 season hinged - score a 49.425 or become a spectator at the 'Super 6.'

Michigan responded with the second-highest score on the uneven bars in NCAA championship history, but a 49.400 wasn't enough.

04-17-98