Women’s gymnastics beats Rutgers

The Flames celebrate their victory over Big Ten versus Rutgers Sunday at the UIC Pavilion. (Photo: Steve Woltmann)

The women’s gymnastics team took down Big Ten opponent Rutgers, 194.275-194.200, Sunday at the UIC Pavilion. The Flames tied their season-high total on bars and set a new team-high on floor with their highest team total since the 2015 MIC Championships.

Sunday’s dual meet was the homecoming competition for women’s gymnastics, as the Flames honored alumni before the game.

Mikailla Northern matched her career-high all-around score with a 39.075 to take first place. Jenna Squillo competed all-around for the first time this season, earning a 38.750 to take third.

“It was very exciting to beat a Big Ten team,” co-head coach Peter Jansson said. “It really shows us what the girls are capable of, and we even did that counting a fall on beam. So I feel really good about what we put together.”

The Flames earned their second-highest team total of the season on vault — 48.650 in the first rotation. Northern tied for first place, earning a 9.800. Nikki Woodruff earned her highest vault score of the season, 9.750, to tie for fourth. Squillo tied for sixth for the Flames with a 9.725, while Toni Alicke had a career-high 9.700 on the event.

UIC tied its season-high team score on bars with a 48.900.

The Flames swept the top six places, led by Serena Baker’s personal-best score of 9.825. Squillo tied her career-high with a 9.800 to take second. Riley Cholod, Katie Snyder, Nicole Szabo and Northern each earned a 9.750 in a six-way tie for fourth.

Daniella Maciel earned a career-high 9.725 alongside Northern to tie for fourth and pace the Flames on beam, followed by Squillo in seventh with a 9.675.

Trailing 145.450-145.300 into the final rotation, UIC put together a season-best 48.975 on floor to edge past the Scarlet Knights.

Abby Hasanov took home the even title with a personal-best 9.850, followed by Alicke, Northern and Maciel in a tie for third with a 9.800.

“The girls really stepped it up on floor today when we needed it,” Jansson said. “They were very clean and were able to get us the highest score of the season as a team. I think that goes to show what we can really do. This was a team effort, there’s no doubt about that, and that is what will keep our momentum going forward.”

The Flames host Western Michigan at 2 p.m. Sunday at the UIC Pavilion. The women’s team will play alongside the men’s gymnastics team, which faces Nebraska in the co-ed meet.