Gophers women gymnasts record fourth-highest score ever

The eighth-ranked Gophers women's gymnastics team recorded the fourth-highest score in program history in defeating host Ohio State 197.400 to 195.550 Saturday night.

The Gophers improved to 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the Big Ten.

Lexy Ramler won the beam and uneven bars, scoring 9.975 on the former. Ona Loper won the vault for the third consecutive week and all-around for the second meet in a row, scoring a career-best 39.550. She scored 9.875 on vault, one of five Gophers scores of 9.80 or higher.

The Gophers swept the podium on bars and beam and placed first in every event.

Ninth-ranked Iowa edged the 10th-ranked Gophers in a men's gymnastics triangular meet in Iowa City, with No. 19 Illinois-Chicago placing third.

The Gophers won five of six event titles but were edged 400.00 to 397.60 for the title.

Gophers junior captain Shane Wiskus placed first in the pommel horse with a season-high score of 13.650. Mike Moran and David Pochinka took first on floor (14.500) and parallel bars (13.850), respectively, and rookies Donte McKinney (career-best 14.650 and Gophers season high) and Crew Bold (14.100) earned the top spots on vault and high bar.

"It's got to a stage where we've got make a decision sooner or later," Heath said. "It's still very much in the pipeline. We have to be mindful he's a Boca Juniors player. We're dictated by when they think is right for them to do something … We remain hopeful."

Heath also said he's hopeful newly signed Paraguayan striker Luis Amarilla, barring any immigration complications, will arrive in Minnesota next week in Blaine.

United defeated Florida International University 5-0 Saturday in Melbourne, Fla., where it is training for two weeks. Mason Toye scored twice, Kevin Molino, newcomer Marlon Hairston and rookie Andrew Booth scored once each.

JERRY ZGODA

The Gophers men's track team got victories from Ben Gucinski (high jump) and Jon Nerdal (weight throw) and Nate Hoglund (unattached, 200 meters), and Jayice Thomsen (5,000 meters) and Ashley Ramacher (high jump) posted women's victories for the Gophers at the Jack Johnson Classic indoor track meet at the University Fieldhouse.

The Gophers posted runner-up finished in both freestyle relays, and Minnesota's Jordan McGinty, Tevyn Waddell, Kate Sullivan and Lindsey Kozelsky all notched individual victories on Day 2. McGinty provided the Gophers with their first victory of the day, winning the 100 free in 50.96.

Waddell took the top spot in the 100 butterfly, touching in 54.53.