Michigan women’s gymnastics KO’d, won’t repeat as national champions

The Michigan girls’s gymnastics staff gained’t get the prospect to defend its 2021 nationwide championship after being eradicated within the nationwide semifinals on Thursday night time in Fort Value, Texas.

The Wolverines, who gained their regional on April 3 to make the ultimate eight groups, completed fourth on Thursday, 0.9125 factors behind Missouri. The Tigers have been additionally eradicated. Florida (197.975) and Auburn (197.8375) completed first and second, respectively, and advance to Saturday’s last. Within the first semifinal Thursday, Oklahoma and Utah superior to Saturday’s last, with the Sooners topping 198 factors for the fourth consecutive time.

THE REGIONAL:Michigan girls win regional, headed to NCAA match semifinals

The Wolverines sat in second place midway by Thursday’s semifinal, however a fall within the fourth rotation price Michigan a return to the ultimate.

Michigan began out robust on the ground train, the primary rotation, as 4 Wolverines — senior Abby Heiskell (9.9), senior Natalike Wojcik (9.9125), junior Sierra Brooks (9.9) and junior Gabby Wilson (9.9125) — led the best way with near-perfect scores. U-M’s mixed rating of 49.4875 gave the Wolverines a slim 0.0125-point lead going into the vault.

The Wolverines weren’t fairly as clear within the second rotation; Brooks hit a 9.9 rating, however no different U-M gymnast was capable of prime her, and the Wolverines fell into second, at 98.9125 factors, 0.1375 factors behind Auburn.

On the third rotation, Abby Heiskell opened with a 9.9125 on the uneven bars and Brooks topped that with a 9.95 to spring the Wolverines to a powerful begin. However the Gators turned in a scorching 49.5125 factors to leap into second place, and Michigan fell to fourth with one rotation remaining, although they trailed first-place Auburn by lower than some extent.

Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Observe him on Twitter @theford.