Illinois (3-3, 1-2) won four individual event titles in its 196.325-195.900 loss against No. 24 Penn State (7-2, 2-1) on Friday. Despite the loss, the future looks bright for Illinois as it continues to become more cohesive and consistently score high on its strongest events.
Shining young stars
Although the Illini have struggled to string together team victories in their last two Big Ten matchups, they may have found their all-around star for the next few years.
Freshman Chloe Cho had another stellar performance against the Nittany Lions, following her three individual career highs in the team’s loss to No. 8 UCLA last weekend. Cho brought home two event titles from the East Coast with a 9.925 on the balance beam and a 39.400 in the all-around.
Another Illini who made her mark this past weekend was sophomore Mareli Muller. The all-around gymnast won her first event title of the season on vault, scoring a 9.850. She followed that up with the Illini’s highest score on floor exercise — 9.875 — to take home third place.
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As Cho and Muller gain confidence in collegiate competitions, their scores have naturally improved as well. Head coach Nadalie Walsh should be excited about what the future could look like as these two continue to flourish.
Veteran presence
While the underclassmen’s performances were a huge bright spot in Illinois’ defeat, the Illinois veterans like senior Makalya Green were just as important.
At University Park, Green took home the crown once again on the uneven bars with a score of 9.925. Her consistency in this event will benefit Illinois as it attempts to climb the rankings.
The uneven bars were another highlight for Illinois ace junior Arielle Ward, who finished in a tie for fifth place with freshman Kennedy Brown. The duo both scored a 9.775 on the event.
Although the Illini put together a cohesive performance, it wasn’t enough to defeat the Nittany Lions on their home turf. Penn State outscored Illinois in team scores on the balance beam and floor exercise to seal the victory.
Looking ahead
Illinois has a busy weekend ahead, with two meets at home against tough opponents. The Illini must build on the momentum they gained from winning most of the individual event titles this past weekend.
Ohio State (2-4, 1-2), ranked No. 18, will visit Huff Hall on Friday, and No. 9 Missouri (6-3) will follow on Sunday. These two matchups will be a true test of Illinois’ perseverance, as competing against top-ranked opponents is never an easy task. However, competing in front of a home crowd should ease some nerves.
