Despite key first place finishes, the ISU gymnastics team did not get the performance it was looking for, and found some of its weaknesses in the process.

“This is not what we’re capable of,” senior co-captain Sissy Huey said. “We couldn’t pull out of a bad beginning. It was not a good meet, because it takes all of us to pull it together, and we didn’t do it.”

The result was a 195.175-195.000 loss for the No. 9 Cyclones at the hands of No. 12 Minnesota. Iowa State dropped to 5-2 overall, 1-1 Big 12.

Minnesota upped its record to 7-2 overall.

“We were a little flat here and there,” said assistant coach Lou Ball. “The mistakes we made are not common for a team of this caliber. We were missing the easy things.”

Though Minnesota claimed the victory, the Cyclones took two of the three top places in the all-around with Huey taking first and Shelly Kringen finishing third. Minnesota’s Mary Anne Kelley took second.

Individually, Huey received two 9.900 marks, on the uneven bars and the balance beam. On the bars, she earned first place, and her beam score was a season’s high on the event, tying her with Minnesota’s Annie Laatsch for second. Kelley took first in the event.

“I don’t know why I did so well on the beam,” Huey said. “I just wanted to do what I’ve been doing in practice.”

Though Huey, Abigail Richey, who earned a new career high of 9.700 in the event, and Chee Chee Calina all had solid performances on the beam, the event was rough on the rest of the Cyclones. The team experienced many falters and scored 48.200 while Minnesota compiled a 49.025.

“The beam is our sore spot,” Ball said.

On the vault, Shelly Kringen remained undefeated for the year, taking first place with a 9.925 and followed by Minnesota’s Courtney Norman in second and Huey in third.

Stephanie Sweitzer tied her career high on the uneven bars with a 9.850, placing her in second behind Huey. Dena Albacker tied for third with Gophers Kelley, Laatsch and Mary Skokut, all scoring 9.800. Albacker later made her season’s debut on the floor exercise, but scored a 9.300 due to a fall.

“It was nice to be in the floor lineup, but I’m disappointed with my performance,” she said. “It was not something I missed in practice. I got the hard stuff out of the way, and it just came down to something simple.”

Karen Kuplicki captured third on the event with Cyclone Sarah Caruthers and Laatsch.

“I felt that I went out there and did what K. J. [Kindler, ISU head coach] told me to do,” Kuplicki said. “I accomplished my goal of starting floor off the right way.”

Kelley earned first in the event with a 9.925, and Huey placed second, scoring 9.850.

“We would’ve liked to beat Minnesota,” Ball said of the meet. “They’re usually about the same caliber as we are, so it’s very competitive. But, we need to get to the bottom of our problems. We may be ranked in the top 10, but still need to work better.”

The Cyclones will be competing at Minnesota next Friday, Feb. 23. They’ll be returning to Hilton Coliseum on March 8 to host Iowa.