East Lansing, MI – In a high-stakes Big Ten clash fueled by a sea of pink, the No. 11 Michigan State women’s gymnastics team secured a hard-fought 197.300-196.850 victory over No. 21 Ohio State this past Saturday. The annual Breast Cancer Awareness meet at Jenison Fieldhouse delivered on its promise of postseason-level intensity, as the Spartans leveraged a dominant floor rotation to pull away from the Buckeyes in the final rotations.

➡️  MSU vs OSU photos

The meet began as a back-and-forth defensive struggle, with the Spartans navigating a somewhat steady start on vault and bars. Senior Olivia Zsarmani made a triumphant return to the vault lineup for the first time in nearly a month, sticking a season-high 9.950 to claim the event title. Her performance provided a necessary spark, keeping MSU within striking distance as Ohio State showed early consistency on their opening events.

Michigan State truly found its rhythm during the floor exercise, an event where they have consistently ranked among the nation’s elite this season. Junior MaKayla Tucker anchored the rotation with a breathtaking 9.950, matching her career high and energizing the home crowd. Sophomore Gabi Ortiz added a polished 9.900, helping the Spartans post a team score that effectively shifted the momentum in their favor heading into the final event.

The Buckeyes did not go quietly, putting up a resilient effort on the balance beam and floor to keep the score gap narrow. However, MSU’s depth proved too much to overcome. Along with her vault title, Zsarmani’s contributions were pivotal enough to earn her Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors following the meet, highlighting the senior’s impact in her return to full form.

On the individual front, MaKayla Tucker continued her “all-around era” dominance, while stars like Sage Kellerman and Nikki Smith provided the veteran stability needed to close out a ranked conference opponent. The victory marks Michigan State’s fourth-straight Big Ten win, a streak that has seen them surpass the 197-point threshold in four consecutive weeks.

With this win, the Spartans (6-4, 4-2 B1G) carry significant momentum into a crucial road stretch. They are next slated to travel to Minneapolis for the Big Four Meet on March 1, where they will face off against host Minnesota, Illinois, and Rutgers in a final push for Big Ten regular-season positioning.