Courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Weekend Gymnastics Results
Western Michigan 192.650, #21 Kent State 192.025
Central Michigan 193.050, Bowling Green 191.950
Ball State 191.625, Illinois State 191.275
Northern Illinois 190.350, Southeast Missouri State 190.100
Complete Recaps
Western Michigan 192.650, #21 Kent State 192.025
Results
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan edged No. 21 Kent State in the final rotation to take Sunday's Mid-American Conference opener, 192.650 to 192.025. It was the first win for the Broncos over the Golden Flashes since Jan. 22, 2006. In the last five seasons, the Golden Flashes had lost just two regular-season MAC duals, both against Central Michigan. The Broncos are off to a 2-0 overall start in 2012, after downing non-conference opponent Centenary at home Jan. 6.
"This was a statement win for us," said third-year Bronco head coach Dave Kuzara. "It shows people not only in the MAC, but also around the country, that Western Michigan gymnastics has arrived.
"This victory really started last year after the conference championship meet in terms of preparation, work ethic and fitness. Kent State entered the meet nationally ranked and our goal is to match up against the best competition. We are fortunate enough to have Kent State in our conference."
Kent State was picked to finish first in the MAC regular season and win the championship meet, according to the coaches' preseason poll, after becoming the first team to compete at the NCAA Championships last season. KSU returned 14 gymnasts from that 2011 squad, which finished the year ranked No. 12 in the country.
Western Michigan led 96.775 to 96.400 through the first two rotations, totaling a 48.375 on vault and a solid 48.400 on uneven bars, before having difficulty on balance beam. Taylor Zondervan (9.675) was the only Bronco to score over a 9.550 on beam and the team experienced two falls. KSU meanwhile, posted the highest event total of the day, going 48.700 on floor to take a 145.100 to 144.025 lead heading into the final rotation.
After almost being scratched moments before the start, Caroline O'Brien led WMU off with a 9.650 on floor, and four of the next five Broncos scored higher. In the final two routines, Zondervan and Lauren Bledsoe each scored a 9.800, tying for second behind KSU's Marie Case (9.825). On beam in the final rotation, Kent State also struggled, losing a gymnast to a bad fall in the second routine. KSU totaled a 46.925 in the event, while WMU posted a 48.625 on floor to take the meet by over a half-point.
"The beam was much better today for us, its a tough event, and we pride ourselves on fitness, so finishing floor strong is what we expect to do," Kuzara said.
WMU's Zondervan also finished runner-up on beam and in the all-around with a 38.125. Freshman Shelby Pflugplaced third on vault (9.725), while juniors Lindsey Wienckowski and Caroline O'Brien (9.725) tied for third on bars.
Case won floor and beam (9.775) for Kent State (0-1, 0-1 MAC). Chelsea Drooger claimed vault (9.800) and Lindsey Runyun took bars (9.800). Whitnee Johnson was the meet's top all-arounder (38.625).
After opening the season with back-to-back home meets, Western Michigan travels to Northern Illinois for its first road test Sunday, Jan. 22.
Central Michigan 193.050, Bowling Green 191.950
Results
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team dropped a 193.050-191.950 decision to Central Michigan on Saturday night inside Anderson Arena.
Despite the loss, the Falcons have many positives to build on following the meet. Start with the total team score, which would have been the third highest in all of last season. To top it all off, the Falcons scored over a 47.775 on three of four events and scored 48.325 or higher on two different events. BGSU outscored Central Michigan in two of four events and had five top-three finishes, including a pair of firsts.
BGSU began the day on vault, totaling 48.325 with the help of Danielle Wishart and Dawn Christman, finishing first and third on the event with scores of 9.850 and 9.775. Five of the six Falcons finished in the top eight.
In rotation two the Orange and Brown moved over to bars and had their only slip up of the night. Monica Eaton was the top Falcon, finishing fourth with a score of 9.525. Megan Harrington was fifth, scoring a 9.500 to help BGSU score a 46.975.
Despite the setback on bars, BGSU scored a 48.450 on beam, nearly a full point higher than Central Michigan. Jamilah Ali finished third with a score of 9.725, Megan Valentini was fourth (9.700) and Monica Eaton was fifth (9.650).
Valentini and Christman finished in a tie for first on the floor with scores of 9.825, while freshman Gina Locigno was fourth, scoring 9.800. The Falcons finished the floor exercise with a 48.725.
BGSU returns to action next Saturday (Jan. 21) night as they will play host to West Virginia, starting at 6 p.m. Admission is free to all.
Ball State 191.625, Illinois State 191.275
Results
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State's gymnastics team posted a 191.625 to 191.275 victory over Illinois State Friday night in Irving Gym on the Ball State campus. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 1-1 on the year, while Illinois State evened their mark at 1-1.
The Cardinals opened the meet on the vault and tallied a 47.575. Nicole Allen led Ball State with a 9.75 and tied for first in the event with Tori Sarantakis of Illinois State. Madison Shorts andAftyn Siemer tallied identical scores of 9.475 to tie for sixth. The mark was a career high for Shorts, a Ball State freshman. Illinois State managed a 48.225 on the vault.
Illinois State opened on the bars and recorded a 46.875 team score, while the Cardinals tallied a 47.275. On the bars, the Cardinals were led by Angie Hosbach and Kayla Kmiecik with a pair of 9.625's to tie for second. Illinois State's Kim Genereux won the event with a 9.725. The 9.625 was a career best for Hosbach.
After the first two rotations and at the halfway point of the meet, Illinois State led 95.100 to 94.875.
Ball State moved to the beam, while Illinois State competed on the floor and the Cardinals took a 142.975 to 142.825 lead. The Cardinals managed a 48.100 on the beam behind a team high 9.675 by Leah Wilson and Hosbach. The mark was a career high for Hosbach, and the pair tied for fourth on the beam. Illinois State managed a 47.725 on the floor.
In the final event, Ball State swept the floor exercise with Kmiecik and Siemer tying for first with 9.800 marks. Brooklyn Schumacher placed third with a 9.775, while Kristin Vignola was fourth with a 9.725. The 9.800 was a career high for Kmiecik on the floor.
Northern Illinois 190.350, Southeast Missouri State 190.100
Results
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Trailing by a half point following the first two rotations, Northern Illinois stormed back with strong performances on floor exercise and balance beam to give first-year head coach Sam Morreale his first career victory, 190.350-190.100, over Southeast Missouri State at Houck Field House in Cape Girardeau Friday night.
After scoring 94.000 on the uneven parallel bars and vault, Northern Illinois' five performers on floor exercise totaled a 48.525, the highest team floor score since 2009, while SEMO could manage just a 47.300 total on balance beam. NIU went from a .500 deficit to a .750 lead after three rotations. The Huskies got a solid performance from its beam team as they earned a season-best 47.825. Although the Redhawks came back with a 48.300 on floor, the Huskies held on for the .250 victory. NIU's final total of 190.350 represented a two-point improvement from its season opening loss to UIC last Sunday and evened the Huskies' record at 1-1 on the season.
"We definitely had a rough start on bars," Morreale said. "Props to the team, they could have hung their heads after bars, and they didn't. We went to vault and the hope there was to regroup and we were better. The floor was just tremendous. It was encouraging to see the fight we showed. We can build from this and springboard into next week."
Senior Tanya Rachan (Lowell, Ind./Hanover Central) provided top performances on all three of her events to lead the Huskies, and her 9.825 score on floor exercise tied her career high and took second place in the meet. Rachan also scored a 9.550 on vault and a 9.500 on balance beam.
Sophomore Kim Gotlund's (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township HS) day was representative of the entire team as she started slowly with misses on bars and beam before finishing with a 9.725 on floor exercise to take third place and scored a career-best 9.675 on balance beam to earn second place.
Shonda Clore (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview HS) earned first and second place finishes on bars and vault, respectively, as the senior provided one of the best routines of the day on bars with a 9.675 and her vault score of 9.625 led NIU. Senior Ashley Guerra(Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) was the other Huskie to earn a top three placing as she was third on balance beam with a 9.600.
"I challenged the seniors before the meet to help keep everyone in it on the road," Morreale said. "They had to step up and be leaders and they did that with their routines, but more importantly with what they did when they weren't up."
In addition to veterans like Natalie Sutter (Barberton, Ohio/Coventry HS), who came through on floor with a season-best 9.700, Northern Illinois freshmen Peyton Taylor (Bloomington, Ill./Normal University HS) and Kelly Nortz (Bay Village, Ohio/Magnificat) stepped up during that rotation with scores of 9.600 and 9.675, respectively. Freshman Amanda Stepp (Lapeer, Mich./Lapeer East HS) added matching 9.575s on vault and beam.
"Peyton was in the line-up and she did what she did last week, hit a floor set," Morreale said. "Kelly Nortz had a better meet, it was nice to see her come back. They looked more comfortable out there."
Friday's result encouraged Morreale going into a three-meet homestand, which starts with the Mid-American Conference opener next Sunday, Jan. 22 versus Western Michigan in the Convocation Center.
"I like the fact that this meet was so close, but we still have something to prove at home after the opener," Morreale said. "We feel good about our future based on how they showed their mettle today. It's tough to go on the road and do what we did. The key was to never give up, never die."