A Go(o)dwin for the Otahks

Senior Ashley Godwin placed

first in three events to lead Southeast past Hamline.

By Jeremy Joffray ~ Southeast Missourian

Southeast Missouri State University gymnastics senior Ashley Godwin wowed the home crowd Friday night, taking first in three individual events as well as winning the all-around crown, as the Otahkians continued an assault on the school's all-time gymnastics list with a 195.025-187.725 win over Hamline University at Houck Field House.

Godwin won the bars (9.850), beam (9.875) and tied for first in the floor exercise (9.850). Godwin's bars score placed her 10th on the all-time list, and her all-around score of 39.225 was seventh all time.

"Today we came out and the athletes were extremely determined to keep their standards high," Southeast coach Tom Farden said.

Katie Bloom helped Southeast sweep the events by winning the vault. Bloom finished with a 9.750. This is Bloom's third vault win this season, and comes after she posted the sixth-best score in school history Sunday against Missouri.

While the Otahkians swept the first three positions in the vault, their first event, their score of 47.950 was the lowest score of the four events. In the next event, the bars, Southeast posed three scores of 9.8 or better. Freshman Lexie Hein was second with a 9.825 and sophomore Tara Boldt was third with a 9.8.

"We came right back, and I don't think I've ever seen a team quite turn it around so fast," Farden said of the bars performance. "They just put it all together and kept putting it together."

The crowd of 578 came to life during the Otahkians' performance on the bars. With the help of an enthusiastic crowd, Southeast scored 49 points or higher in each of its last three events.

"I think this is probably our biggest crowd," Godwin said. "It's different when you have a lot of people. It's fun."

Southeast moved on from the bars to sweep the beam. Boldt was second (9.850) and Alexis Traylor finished third (9.775). The Otahkians then moved on to the crowd-favorite floor exercise.

Boldt and Traylor warmed the crowd up with matching 9.850's before Godwin's high-flying tumbling stole the show.

"It's fun. It's easier when you get to play to the crowd and have fun with it," Godwin said of her floor routine.

Southeast's team score of 195.025 was a season-high and placed in the school's top 10 all-time. Boldt also got into Southeast's all-time list for a second straight meet with an all-around score of 39.200, which was good enough for eighth all time. Boldt's 9.9 beam score against Missouri ranked fifth all time.

Farden said he's not surprised by the team's strong scores this season.

"This is a team that set its goals early in the season," he said. "They're maybe a little rejuvenated with a new head coach, and I feel like there's a lot of positive energy every day we go into the gym."

Southeast will head to Chicago to face the University of Illinois-Chicago next Saturday. The Otahkians next home meet is Feb. 14 against Centenary College.