Southeast Missouri State gymnasts fail to defend conference crown

The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team failed to defend its Midwest Independent Conference title Saturday.

Southeast finished last during the five-team season-ending meet in Chicago, but had its second-best road score of the season, 191.225.

Illinois State was first with 194.800, followed by host Illinois-Chicago (194.725), Texas Woman's (194.050) and Centenary (191.300).

Southeast's highlight was Taylor Westrick winning the balance beam for the second consecutive year. Her score was 9.900.

Taryn Vanderpool tied for third on beam (9.775).

Angela Serafini had two top-five finishes. She was fourth on bars (9.800) and tied for fifth on beam (9.750).

Emma Garrett tied for fourth on vault (9.775).

Southeast will find out April 7 if any individuals qualified for NCAA regional competition.

Track

Josh Uchtman captured his first shot put title of the outdoor season, and Southeast recorded six second-place finishes over the weekend at the Black and Gold Invitational, hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.

Uchtman, competing in his first outdoor meet of the year, launched a winning throw of 55 feet, 4 1/4 inches.The Redhawks placed two more in the top five of the event. Kevin Farley took fourth (52-11) and Craig Robinson was fifth (51-10).

Jacob Kent posted two second-place finishes, in the high jump (6-10 1/4) and long jump (23-3 1/4).

DeAndre Simmons was second in the 200 meters (22.59 seconds), and Alex Zisser was second in the 3,000 meters (8:31.69).

On the women's side, Notre Dame Regional High School graduate Jill Schnurbusch tied for the top height in the pole vault (12-6) but finished second based on misses.

Also in the pole vault, Nikki Buchheit was sixth (11-0 1/4) and Erica Grajales tied for seventh (10-6 1/4).

The 400 women's relay team of Tianna Borner, Magan Edwards, Angelica Larrier and Jerika Lewis placed second (46.86).

Larrier was also fifth in the 200 (25.78).

Softball

Southeast's scheduled Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader against visiting SIU Edwardsville Saturday was postponed due to unplayable field conditions at the Southeast Softball Complex.

The teams will meet today in a 1 p.m. doubleheader and play just two of the scheduled three-game series.

Southeast (10-17) and SIUE (11-17) both have 3-5 OVC records.

Tennis

Southeast suffered a 6-1 loss at Austin Peay on Saturday. The Redhawks fell to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in OVC play. The Govs are 5-10 and 2-0.

Heather Robinson recorded the Redhawks' only victory, beating Vanessa Tavarez 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.

The Redhawks host Murray State at noon today.

Singles

1. Vanja Tomic (APSU) def. Nikole Novikova 6-0, 6-3

2. Ornella Di Salvo (APSU) def. Elizabeth Nyenwe 6-4, 6-1

3. Alison Carre (APSU) def. Jessica Courtnell 6-1, 6-0

4. Andra Cornea (APSU) def. Melissa Martin 6-0, 0-6, 7-5

5. Heather Robinson (SE) def. Vanessa Tavarez 6-0, 6-0

6. Jovana Karak (APSU) def. Laura Garcia 6-1, 6-3

Doubles

1. Tomic/Carre (APSU) def. Novikova/Robinson 8-4

2. Cornea/Di Salvo (APSU) def. Courtnell/Martin 8-1

3. Karak/Tavarez (APSU) def. Nyenwe/Lauren Schaper 8-4

-- From staff reports