Cyclones Take Sixth at NCAAs

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Iowa State scored a 194.725 to take sixth at the school's first-ever "Super Six," in front of 7,064 fans at Gill Coliseum on Friday. ISU was making its first ever appearance in the event, which pits the nation's six best collegiate women's gymnastics squads. Georgia won the national championship title with a 197.750. Utah took second (196.800), Alabama third (196.725), Florida fourth (196.275) and Nebraska fifth (196.175).

"We learned a lot about competing at the highest level tonight," head coach K.J. Kindler said. "This experience will help us the next time we return. This is an amazing experience for our girls to participate with the most elite athletes and teams in the nation."

Iowa State began the night on floor, an event where ISU posted the third best score in the preliminaries on Thursday (49.300). The Cyclones went 48.975, the team's first sub-49.000 score since the second meet of the season vs. Illinois on Jan. 13, a span of 14-consecutive meets. Junior Ashley Alden led off with a solid 9.725, then senior Krystal Carney finished off her career on a high note, scoring a 9.700 in her only her second competition since Jan. 28 at Iowa. Seniors Erin Dethloff and Laura-Kay Powell then turned in a 9.800 and 9.850, respectively to keep the momentum going. Two-thousand six first-team All-American Janet Anson put together a spectacular 9.900 to anchor ISU.

After one event, Iowa State and Florida were tied for the lead at 48.975 while Utah was tied with Nebraska for third at 48.950. Alabama and Georgia had byes in the opening rotation. The Cyclones then moved to vault, where they were forced to a fall on vault first time all season and the first time in three years as they scored a 47.850. Before the Super Six, Iowa State had scored a 49.000 or better in 13-straight meets. Katie Lasher and Powell led ISU with scores of 9.825 and 9.775, but the damage was done.

Iowa State then went to a bye in the third rotation as just one of two teams with scores on two events. The Cyclones trailed Utah 98.275-96.825 as each went to the lockerroom.

ISU came back out on bars in the fourth rotation and regrouped, putting together its best score in four meets (49.000) as four Cyclones recorded a 9.800 or better. Anson, Powell and Lasher each scored a 9.800 while Dethloff, who was named second-team All-American on Thursday for the fourth-straight year, posted a 9.850.

"I am so proud of the way the team came back after what happened on vault," Kindler said. "I was so proud of their determination and effort and they really showed on bars what kind of team we can really be."

The Cyclones then carried a 145.825 into beam, the team's final event. ISU scored a 48.975, led by Dethloff's 9.825. Powell garnered a 9.800, Anson went 9.800 while freshman Ashley Kent notched a 9.775.

Anson and Dethloff will podium on the all-around at Saturday's individual competition as they both garnered eighth-place 39.375. They are the first all-around placewinners in Cyclone history and also were named first team All-Americans in the all-around for their efforts in Thursday's preliminaries.

Anson will compete in the individual championships on Saturday on both vault and floor. The Kansas City, Mo., native will look to improve on her national runner-up finish from a year ago on vault. The individual championships will begin at 9 p.m. CST, Saturday in Gill Coliseum.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ashley Alden

Janet Anson

Krystal Carney

Erin Dethloff

Ashley Kent

Katie Lasher

Laura-Kay Powell

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics