EMU Grabs Victory at Illinois State
Thursday's Scoreboard
Eastern Michigan 194.000, Illinois State 192.550
Story Courtesy of Eastern Michigan Sports Information
Eastern Michigan 194.000, Illinois State 192.550
Results
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team earned its fourth win of the season with a 194.000-192.550 victory against Illinois State University Thursday, Feb. 15, in non-conference action at the Convocation Center. The Green and White marked its best event score of the year on floor, as well as the second best team score of bars. The 49.025 on floor also served as the first time EMU has eclipsed 49.000 this season. Additionally, Eastern took four of the five possible titles, including the all-around, where sophomore Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) notched a new career-high with a 39.100.
Eastern put together consistent performances in its first event of the day, as they captured four of the top-five rankings on vault by sweeping spots two through five. Dobronics paced the Eagles with a 9.725 to start her impressive day, with junior Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill.-Sacred Heart Classical Center) earning the meet's third best score of 9.7. Senior Jules Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz.-Mesquite) and freshman Cali Harden (Saline, Mich.-Saline) rounded out the Eagles within the top-five, posting scores of 9.675 and 9.65, respectively.
The second rotation saw EMU come out on a much stronger note than vault, with Eastern earning its second-best bars score of the season with a 48.75. Senior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J.-Holmdel) led the Eagles by tying her season-high 9.875 to take the event title. Redshirt senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y.-Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) earned the second-best score in the event by notching her fourth straight 9.825, while Dobronics continued her evening with a 9.75.
After an outstanding performance on bars, EMU saw a drastic dip on beam, as Eastern tallied a 47.875 to mark its worst beam score of the season since they earned a 47.725 in the regular-season opener against Penn State, Jan. 6. However, Dobronics acted as a silver lining, winning the event title with a score of 9.75.
The Green and White saved its best performance for last, notching its highest team score of the season with a 49.025 on floor. This mark was in large part by the consistently impressive routines throughout the lineup, with Dobronics once again taking home the event title, this time with a career-best 9.875. Freshman Jada Rondeau (Norwood Young America, Minn.-Central) also put together a strong routine, tying her career-best in the event with a 9.825. Additionally, senior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio-Howland) posted a 9.8, while freshman Brianna Price earned a 9.775 in her first official performance on floor as an Eagle.
EMU returns to conference competition next weekend when they travel to Kent, Ohio to take on the Golden Flashes. Action is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
