No. 2 Men’s Gymnastics Comes Back to Down Top-Ranked Wolverines – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 5, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2 Ohio State men’s gymnastics team put together a team season-high performance on its last event, the high bar, to overcome and defeat No. 1 ranked Michigan, 229.950-229.900, Saturday night in St. John Arena. The Buckeyes also defeated Illinois (225.350) with their high score of the season.
The Buckeyes entered the last rotation down .075 points to the Wolverines. Ohio State was able to pull out the win with a team score of 38.875 on its last event, topping UM’s score of 38.750 on its last rotation, the parallel bars, to claim the win. Jamie Natalie (Jr., Hockessin, Del.), OSU’s last competitor, clinched the victory for the Buckeyes with a 9.90 on the high bar. OSU’s Michael Morgan (Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio) helped the Buckeyes to victory by posting a 9.750 in the event.
“It was a close one,” Ohio State head coach Miles Avery said. “We put ourselves in a hole and we had to come back and win it. The guys didn’t want to lose and they fought and fought to win the meet. That was great to see. Michigan is a great team.”
Natalie and Morgan tied for the all-around title with a score of 57.475, a career high for Morgan. Morgan claimed the floor exercise title (9.825), while Natalie tied for first on the parallel bars (9.925), won the high bar and was second on the still rings with a 9.800. Raj Bhavsar (Fr., Houston, Texas) set career highs in two events, scoring 9.775 on the parallel bars and a 9.550 on the high bar. Daren Lynch (Jr., Londonderry, N.H.) was second on the vault with a 9.700.
“This was a great win for us,” Lynch, a team co-captain, said. “We’re going to go back in the gym, fix things up and come out even better for our next competition.” Some of the Buckeyes will compete in the Winter Cup Challenge Feb. 11-12 in Las Vegas, Nev. before the squad returns to dual meet action at home when it hosts No. 5 Iowa, No. 13 Minnesota and No. 9 Brigham Young Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in St. John Arena.
No. 2 Ohio State 229.950, No. 1 Michigan 229.900
No. 2 Ohio State 229.950, No. 3 Illinois 225.350
Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 5, 2000
Top three finishers plus Ohio State results.
All-Around
1. Michael Morgan, Ohio State 57.475 Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 57.475 3. Linh Hoang, Illinois 56.600 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 56.000
Floor Exercise (UI 38.300, OSU 38.075, UM 38.075)
1. Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.825 2. Justin Toman, Michigan 9.775 3. Kenny Keener, Michigan 9.650 Sean-Paul Crawford, Illinois 9.650 Linh Hoang, Illinois 9.650 Dick Huntwork, Ohio State 9.500 Michael Evans, Ohio State 9.500 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 9.250 Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.250 Raj Bhavsar, Ohio State 9.100
Pommel Horse (UM 38.675, OSU 37.600, UI 36.700)
1. Scott Vetere, Michigan 9.950 2. Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.650 3. Tim Dehr, Michigan 9.600 Kevin Roulston, Michigan 9.600 Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.450 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 9.400 Raj Bhavsar, Ohio State 9.100 Michael Evans, Ohio State 8.900 Earnest Nelson, Ohio State 8.550
Still Rings (UM 39.000, OSU 38.400, UI 38.275)
1. Justin Toman, Michigan 9.900 2. Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.800 3. J.G. Ketchen, Illinois 9.775 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 9.600 Daren Lynch, Ohio State 9.550 Raj Bhavsar, Ohio State 9.450 Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.300 Mitch Claman, Ohio State 9.100
Vault (OSU 38.200, UI 37.900, UM 37.025)
1. Linh Hoang, Illinois 9.900 2. Daren Lynch, Ohio State 9.700 3. Michael Evans, Ohio State 9.600 Dick Huntwork, Ohio State 9.450 Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.450 Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.150 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 8.950
Parallel Bars (OSU 38.800, UM 38.750, UI 36.950)
1. Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.925 Scott Vetere, Michigan 9.925 3. Raj Bhavsar, Ohio State 9.775 Justin Toman, Michigan 9.775 Dick Huntwork, Ohio State 9.550 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 9.550 Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.500 Daren Lynch, Ohio State 9.450
High Bar (OSU 38.875, UM 38.375, UI 37.225)
1. Jamie Natalie, Ohio State 9.900 2. Michael Morgan, Ohio State 9.750 3. Jose “Lalo” Haro, Michigan 9.700 Earnest Nelson, Ohio State 9.675 Raj Bhavsar, Ohio State 9.550 Jay Nardelli, Ohio State 9.250 Mitch Claman, Ohio State 8.775
–OSU–
