COLLEGIATE
2017 U.S. SYNCHRONIZED SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Back row (l-r) University of Michigan’s Alexandra Parks, Akemi Tsutsumi, Ellen Tillford, Allegra Hawkins, Erica Miller, Kate Liang, Carly Burwell, Haley Lindsey; middle row (l-r) Sophie Cucci, Sarah Zheng, Rachel Horton, Caroline Cusinato, Sonja Konzen, Christine Lightfoot; front row (l-r) Rachel Sokolov, Arielle Kim, Madison Strauss, Abi Walker, Emily Dahuron, Maeve Pascoe, Lilia Zhu
‘AN
UNREAL FEELING’
Michigan turns up heat with streak-
ending performance BY TAYLOR WATTERS
Te University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
ended Miami University’s reign of 12 consecu- tive collegiate titles with a “fiery” performance in front of a cheering section overflowing with maize and blue. A group of juvenile, novice and junior
Hockettes, along with parents and friends, made a skater tunnel and welcomed the Wolver- ines to the ice, singing the university’s fight song, “Te Victors.” Tat exhilarating moment helped propel the team in its fire-themed pro- gram, which earned an event-best 88.22 points. A nearly two-point advantage in the program components mark proved to be the difference between Michigan and Miami. “Tese girls have worked harder than any other team I have ever worked with,” coach
Erin Donovan said. “Tey do it themselves by pushing each other. I am so glad they were able to reach their goals, because I have never met a group of skaters that work harder.” “We owned it,” added skater Allegra
Hawkins. “All of the parents and fans cheering pumped us up, so getting through the program and nailing it as best as we could was an unreal feeling.”
Te team opened with Jesse J’s “Burnin’
Up,” then took an emotional turn into Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire” before lighting the crowd up with Pitbull’s “Fireball” and ending with Fall Out Boy’s “Light ’Em Up.” Te University of Michigan’s victory ended
an impressive run by Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). Te last time the RedHawks received a
silver medal was in 2004, when Western Mich- igan took top honors. Despite the team’s win streak ending, Miami coach Carla DeGirolamo said the RedHawks attacked their performance. “We wanted to come here and give it
everything we have, and that is what they did,” DeGirolamo said. Dressed in pink and black, Miami brought
to life a program on the theme of “trouble” that featured a mashup of artists. Skater Gretchen Jaraczewski noted they
are all equals on the team, adding “we all work together and we are all united as one.” “Competing at the U.S. Synchronized
Skating Championships was amazing,” added skater Haley Voss. “It was everything every little skater could dream of.” Michigan State University (East Lansing)
enjoyed exemplary leadership from its senior class, which paid off as the Spartans earned their 10th medal since 1997. “Tey were strong leaders, which really
helped the team,” coach Laura Sienkowski said. “We are all really proud of our performance because we have worked so hard.” Te Spartans were a united front with
their “Dancing with Devils” program that was enriched with Avicii’s “Long Road to Hell,” Cash Cash’s “Devil” and Te Charlie Daniels Band’s “Te Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Tey fin- ished with the bronze medal and 75.66 points. “We have come very far this season after a slow
start,” Sienkowski said. “Once we started to get in a groove, they went and laid everything on the table.” Metroettes Collegiate (Hayden Recreation
Centre FSC) won the pewter medal with 75.31 points.
24 APRIL 2017
JAY ADEFF/U.S. FIGURE SKATING
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