EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – A strong uneven bars routine helped the UW-Eau Claire women's gymnastics team win the three-team UW-Eau Claire Invitational as the Blugolds narrowly edged UW-La Crosse in the McPhee Physical Education Center tonight.
The Blugolds won with a score of 180.825 while UW-La Crosse took second with 180.175. Hamline University (Minn.) was third with 175.950.
While La Crosse had the top score in three events – vault, beam and floor – the Blugolds scored a 45.150 on the bars compared to 42.900 for La Crosse which allowed the Blugolds to slip past the Eagles for the victory.
On the bars, the Blugolds took the top two places, led by Rachel Behmer (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn./West Lutheran) with a season-high score of 9.400 as she took first place. The mark also tied for the sixth highest score in school history. Olivia Aschenbrenner (Jr.-Cedarburg, Wis./Grafton) was second with 9.125, also a season-best mark.
In the floor exercise, Elizabeth Stubbs (Fr.-Wayzata, Minn.) won as she scored a 9.575. Cece Solem (Sr.-Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley) had the Blugolds' best result on the balance beam as she took second with a season-high 9.325. On the vault, Julia Stedman (Fr.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) and Danielle Schulzetenberg (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) had the Blugolds' top result as they tied for fourth place with 9.275 points.
This is the second straight year the Blugolds won their invitational.
Next Saturday the Blugolds will be in Knoxville, Tenn. for the Ozone Invitational. UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout and Centenary College (La.) will compete against the Blugolds in Tennessee. The invite will start at 8 p.m. Eastern.
-KM-
