Ohlrich, Tang Lead Team Black to Win in Exhibition

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Seniors Katelyn Ohlrich and Chelsea Tang led Team Black to a comeback win over Team Orange in the annual Orange and Black Exhibition at Gill Coliseum Thursday night. The event was officiated by guest judge panels made up of local media members and Oregon State coaches and administrators.

“This event is always something that we look forward to as a team and a coaching staff and is something our fans look forward to as well,” head coach Tanya Chaplin said. “It’s the signal that our season is about to begin. It is important for these athletes to get out onto the competition floor in Gill and to perform in front of a crowd as part of preparation for the season.”

The exhibition was free of admission and concluded with autographs from the entire squad. Guest judges added entertainment to the occasion as they interacted with public address announcer Brian Brooks.

Guest judges included Oregon State beat reporters Gina Mizell from The Oregonian, Gary Horowitz from the Statesman-Journal, Jon Warren from KEJO-AM radio and Kristen Rodgers from KEZI-TV. Head men’s basketball coach Wayne Tinkle, head women’s basketball coach Scott Rueck, assistant wrestling coach Kevin Roberts, assistant football coach Mike Cavanaugh, graduate assistants Yvenson Bernard and Lyle Moevao and associate athletic director for academics Dr. Kate Halischak were the other adjudicators.

The team was split into two squads and performed routines in pairings of head-to-head match-ups. The judges then decided which gymnast performed the best routine by indicating the winner with orange and black cards. Four pairs (eight gymnasts in total) performed on each event with the winner awarded a 10.0 and the other receiving a 9.80.

Heading into the final rotation on floor exercise Team Orange led by freshman Dani Dessaints, who had earned head-to-head wins on vault and uneven bars, was in firm control leading 119.00-118.60. But a sweep of four straight wins on the floor by Taylor Ricci, Nicole Turner, Ohlrich and Tang gave Team Black the victory.

Three gymnasts, Madeline Gardiner, Megan Jimenez and Tang, performed in the all-around while two others, Taylor Ricci and Ohlrich each competed on three events. Ohlrich recorded a meet-high three wins while Tang and Dessaints were the only others to tally two.

The Beavers open the 2015 season when they host UCLA Jan. 11 in a dual meet that will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.

Deposits for new season tickets (2015) are available now at BeaverTickets.com.