OTAHKIANS SAVE BEST OF LAST, BEAT WINONA

The Southeast Missouri State Otahkians' gymnastics team sent senior Kathy Smith out in style Saturday, defeating the Winona State Warriors 193.200 -- 186.400 at the Houck Field House.

Southeast (8-5 overall, 1-3 in dual meets) posted a season-best score and got its first victory in a dual meet this season in an all-around team effort, setting team season-highs in three of four events. The Otahks also swept the first three places in each event.

The individual meet champions were Ashley Godwin on the vault with a 9.75 that tied her career high, Jessica Bagwill on the bars with a career-high 9.85, Stephanie Furman on beam with a season-high 9.8 and Furman on the floor with a career-high 9.925. Godwin also took the all-around, with a 39.050, her career-best.

Several individual and team scores ranked in the Top 10 all-time for Southeast. Bagwill's routine on the bars was the seventh highest score in Southeast history, tying the mark set by six other individuals. Furman's routine on floor was the fifth best in school history, tying the mark set by Kim Carter-Newell on March 19, 1994. The team's score of 49.200 on the floor exercise was the fourth highest mark in school history.

Smith, competing in her last home meet and coming off an injury, had one of her most successful meets of the season. She scored season highs in both the beam (9.75) and the floor (9.8). The floor score also matched her career-high, which was originally set at the Midwest Independent Championships a season ago.

The area of emphasis for the Otahkians all season long has been the bars. On Saturday, Southeast was on its game as Bagwill, Godwin and Alicia White all set personal records. But it was the floor exercise where Southeast again dominated. Furman and Godwin and White all posted personal bests, with Smith tying her previous high.