Complete Meet Notes (PDF) | Live Video (Subscription Required) | "Like" Southeast on Facebook
| Follow @GoSoutheast on Twitter | Follow @SEMOGymnastics on Twitter
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Southeast Missouri gymnastics team heads out on the road for the first of three-straight away meets when it takes on Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill., on Saturday. The Redhawks (2-0) look to continue their ascent in the national rankings against the 2-1 Huskies after scoring 193.700 last week against Centenary. Saturday's meet begins at 5 p.m.
Last Week – Southeast added a point and a half to its season-opening score with a solid 193.700 in last week's win over Centenary. The Redhawks hit on 22 of their 24 routines and did not count a fall in their home opener. Twelve of Southeast's 20 counted scores were 9.700 or higher, including two totals of at least 9.800.
Taryn Vanderpool won bars, balance beam and the all-around and posted career-high scores on beam and all-around to do so.
Megan Fosnow won vault and placed second on the floor exercise, scoring a career-best 9.825 on floor. Fosnow, Vanderpool and freshman
Taylor Penzien combined for nine scores of 9.700 or greater.
About Northern Illinois – The Huskies are three meets into their 2013 season and have scored in the 192 range in all three competitions. NIU's top score of the year so far is a 192.775, which was achieved two weeks ago against Bowling Green. Megan Melendez is the only Northern Illinois gymnast who ranks in the top 100 nationally in any event, checking in at No. 88 on beam with an average score of 9.758.
First Touch
Moving Up – The Redhawks' week two improvement propelled them several spots in the national rankings. After scoring 193.700 against Centenary, Southeast is 44th in the country with an average score of 192.950. The top 36 teams in the nation qualify for NCAA Regionals as a group and the Redhawks are a little over a point shy of the cutoff point two meets into the year.
Passing the Bar – Uneven bars has been the Redhawks' strong suit in the early going this season. Southeast sits 34th in the country with a bars average of 48.575, scoring 48.525 in the season opener at Lindenwood and 48.625 against Centenary on Jan. 25. In two meets, no Southeast gymnast has scored below 9.600 on bars and the Redhawks have not counted a score below 9.650 on the apparatus.
Taryn Vanderpool is leading the way so far, tallying a 9.800 in both of her routines this year.
Impact Freshman – While 11 of Southeast's 13 gymnasts were on the roster last year, the team is getting a lift from one of its freshmen already this season.
Taylor Penzien cracked the lineup in three events for each of the first two meets and had a breakout night in her second collegiate competition last week. Penzien scored 9.700 or higher in all three of her events against Centenary, finishing third on both bars and beam while taking fourth on floor.
