Despite holding the lead through the first three rotations, the Fighting Illini women’s gymnastics team left the crowded Huff Hall audience disappointed after falling to No. 22 Michigan State by a mere three-tenths of a point. In the final apparatus of the night, the team made several mistakes on the floor exercise, ceding the 194.750 to 194.425 victory to its Big Ten foe.

Heading into the final rotation of the competition, the Illini were barely on top, leading 145.825 to 145.550. With two uncharacteristic mistakes from freshman Lashlee Morris and sophomore Nicole Cowart, the team was forced to focus less on the meet’s bright spots and more on how the competition finished.

“Losing wasn’t one of my main concerns,” said head coach Bob Starkell. “I think it was how we finished. We were going into the last event and when we were winning. Usually when given the opportunity, that really tells how strong a team’s going to be.”

While Morris’ fall and Cowart’s accidental step out of bounds did hurt the Illini, their missteps made Allison Buckley stand out even more.

Winning the all-around title, the explosive freshman once again had an impressive and successful meet, capping the night off with her event-winning 9.850 floor exercise. As the last competitor in the lineup, Buckley was not rattled by the extra pressure of the close meet.

“I’ve been last on floor for the last couple meets, so it’s pretty exciting,” said the bubbly Buckley. “I like it. Floor’s a good event for me, and it gives me a chance to really show off your routine.”

Aside from Buckley’s overall success, Saturday also featured the return of fellow all-around competitor Sarah Schmidt who was forced to sit out two meets after suffering a left ankle sprain. The sophomore only competed on the uneven bars, but managed to nail her landing and captured the event with a score of 9.775.

Buckley and Schmidt’s leadership, combined with a complete lack of falls on vault, bars or beam, helped the Illini display confidence and team unity in front of the crowd of 1,059. However, the women are still searching for perfection.

“We have minor mistakes that seem to be making a big difference for us,” said Buckley, citing several gymnasts’ bobbled landings. “It’s kind of sad for us to be ahead until the third event and lose it on the last event, but like I said, it’s the minor things. Landings are really important. It’s the last thing the judges see. You want them to remember your routine, and if you stick it’s, like, big in their minds.”

As of now, the Illini’s meet at Northern Illinois, which was scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 24., has been canceled due to last week’s shooting.