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	Printer-Friendly Format E-mail this article Joshua Coblenz was MIT's top performer in three events

MIT Places Third at New England Invitational

Engineers Record Solid Performance in Final Regular-Season Outing

March 25, 2008

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - For the third consecutive competition, the MIT men's gymnastics team raised its season score, this time posting a mark of 325.45 while placing third at the New England Invitational. The University of Illinois-Chicago captured the crown (347.9) as Springfield College was the runner-up (331.15). Rounding out the field was Palaestra (300.25), Daggett's Gymnastics (295.0), SUNY Brockport (279.6), and University of Vermont (215.45).

The Engineers registered a quartet of top-10 finishes in the all-around, with Joshua Coblenz leading the way in third place (82.0). Boris Rasin ranked fourth (81.8), followed by Tom Caldwell (sixth place, 79.8) and Jake Shapiro (seventh, 79.45).

Behind Shapiro's third-place ranking in the rings (14.4), MIT finished second with a team total of 55.95. Rasin claimed fifth with a mark of 14.3 as Coblenz posted a score of 13.95 to rank ninth. Caldwell rounded out the group with a ranking of 14th and a tally of 13.3.

The Cardinal and Gray picked up another second-place finish courtesy of a mark of 52.3 in the pommel horse. Rasin paced the squad with a fifth-place ranking and a total of 13.75. Coblenz finished closely behind him with a 13.45 for seventh place. Caldwell (13th) and Shapiro (25th) contributed scores of 12.95 and 12.15, respectively. Jesse Ashcraft-Johnson also represented MIT in the event as he posted a total of 11.6 for a ranking of 28th.

On the floor exercise, the Engineers placed third with a team score of 54.0. Coblenz (13.85), Matthew Heine (13.7), and Rasin (13.6) claimed seventh, ninth, and 11th, respectively. Caldwell completed the scoring contingent with a tally of 12.85 to place 24th overall. Shapiro and Jacob Sharpe wrapped up the event by placing 26th (12.65) and 28th (12.35).

MIT's highest-scoring effort came on the vault with a mark of 55.95 which captured third place. Shapiro led the close-scoring group with a 14.2 (10th), followed by Coblenz (t-14th, 14.0), Caldwell (t-16th, 13.95), and Heine (20th, 13.8). In his appearance, Rasin compiled a total of 13.0 to tie for 29th place.

Coblenz finished eighth overall on the parallel bars with a score of 13.9. Rasin tied for 12th with a total of 13.55 as Caldwell grabbed 18th with a 13.2. Heine finished one-tenth of a point behind him to tie for 20th while Shapiro posted a mark of 12.8 to tie for 24th. As a team, the Engineers finished third with a tally of 53.75.

On the high bar, MIT registered its final third-place ranking of the day with a total of 53.5. Rasin captured 10th place with a 13.6 as Caldwell finished 11th with a score of 13.55. Shapiro recorded a ranking of 14th (13.25) while Heine claimed the next spot with a mark of 13.1. Coblenz completed the Engineers' efforts in the event with an 18th-place finish and a score of 12.85.