March 9, 2007

Chicago, Ill.- Tim Morrison's all-around victory, wins in five of six individual events and a season-high team score gave head coach "CJ" Johnson plenty of gifts to enjoy on his birthday as the UIC men's gymnastics team cruised to a victory over Air Force at the Physical Education Building on Friday evening.

The Flames posted a season-best 203.100 to ground the Falcons, who turned in a 194.850.

UIC posted a season-best team tally on floor exercise (35.45) and tied its year-high on vault (33.45).

Morrison inked a season-high of his own in the all-around, winning the overall crown with a 51.0. The senior also won on vault (8.6) and capped the meet with a winning high bar routine that garnered a 9.0.

Rookie standout Andrew Stover won the floor exercise event with a 9.0, while fellow freshmen Joe Ernst and Nikolai Korepanov also posted victories on pommel horse and parallel bars, respectively.

Ernst won pommel horse with an 8.45, while Korepanov captured the bars title with an identical score.

Korepanov was also UIC's leading man on rings with a 9.15 that earned second place.

Sophomore Kevin Baune had two second-place finishes on the bar events, scoring an 8.4 on parallel bars and an 8.45 on high bar.

Anthony May was strong in the all-around, placing third with a 49.5 after clinching second on pommel horse (8.25), second on floor exercise with Bobby Solomon (8.85), and third on vault (9.35).

Jeffrey Bill also vaulted well, placing second with an 8.4.

UIC and Air Force tangle again this Sunday, March 11th at the Physical Education Building beginning at 2:00 p.m.