Sunday’s Gymnastics Results
Ball State 195.550, Western Michigan 194.675, Wilberforce 173.100
Central Michigan 195.600, Bowling Green 192.600, Southeast Missouri 192.375
Kent State 195.425, Eastern Michigan 194.525
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Ball State 195.550, Western Michigan 194.675, Wilberforce 173.100
MUNCIE, Ind. — Fueled by an energetic crowd and their love of Squishmallows, the Ball State gymnastics team earned a season-high score of 195.500 to take home top honors in the Ball State Tri Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
It was a clutch day for the Cardinals (9-2; 1-0 Mid-American Conference), who rallied despite being shorthanded to top both league rival Western Michigan (194.675) and a fledgling Wilberforce (173.100).
Leading the charge was junior Zoe Middleton who took home both the floor title and her first all-around championship of the season. She scored 9.850 on her way to the floor crown, while earning a season-best 38.925 to take home the all-around title.
The Cardinals also turned in a dominating effort on beam, led by sophomore Lindsay Fuller who earn her first career individual event victory with a career-best score of 9.875. Overall, Ball State's gymnasts turned in the top four scored on the apparatus.
Rounding out BSU's event winners was sophomore Ashley Szymanski who picked up her eighth collegiate bars victory and her third score of 9.875 this season.
Overall, Ball State's gymnasts tied or registered nine career-high scores on the day, including a mark of 9.825 from sophomore Lindsay Girard to lead the squad on vault.
ROTATION 1: Vault (48.800)
Girard led the Cardinals and tied for second overall with a career-best score of 9.825 as Ball State's final countable routine of the rotation. Middleton turned in a 9.800 one spot earlier, was followed a career-best 9.750 from senior Cai Afalla.
Ball State also received countable scores of 9.725 from senior Carissa Martinez and a 9.700 from freshman Karli Mercer.
ROTATION 2: Bars (49.025)
The best rotation score of the meet was Ball State's 49.025 on bars which was capped by Szymanski's third score of 9.875 this season. Senior Grace Sumner and Middleton both tied for third in the event with marks of 9.800.
The Cardinals also counted 9.775s from sophomore meet MVP Ava Molina and freshman Jordanna Phillis, with Phillis' mark tying her career-best effort.
ROTATION 3: Beam (48.800)
Ball State dominated the beam event, posting the four highest scores of the meet. Leading the way was Fuller who's career-best 9.875 tied Szymanski's bars routine as the highest scoring of the meet.
Sophomore Delaney McMahon added a career-best 9.825 to take second overall, followed by a 9.775 from Szymanski and a 9.725 from Molina. Sumner turned in BSU's final countable score a 9.600
ROTATION 4: Floor (48.925)
The Cardinals closed the meet with another solid rotation paced by Middleton's 9.850 to win the event. Junior Alauna Simms tied for second and tied her career-high mark with a 9.825, while Afalla tied her career-high with a 9.775 to tie for fifth.
The Cardinals also counted a 9.750 from Martinez and a 9.725 with both Molina and Girard posting the mark.
ALL-AROUND
Middleton was Ball State's lone all-around competitor, turning in a season-best 38.925 in an effort that included a 9.850 to win the floor competition.
The Ball State gymnastics team returns to action next Sunday with a 2 p.m. showdown at league-rival Bowling Green.
Central Michigan 195.600, Bowling Green 192.600, Southeast Missouri 192.375
Recap coming soon…
Kent State 195.425, Eastern Michigan 194.525
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Kent State gymnastics team opened MAC competition on Sunday as they hit the road to face Eastern Michigan in a dual meet. The Flashes opened conference competition 1-0 by earning an all-around team score of 195.425, the team's highest total this season, to best Eastern Michigan's 194.525.
ROTATION 1 – BARS
The Flashes were led on bars by Nastia Rudnitskaya, who won the event with a score of 9.850. Mya Migliore earned a career-high score in the event, tying for second with a 9.825. Additionally, Charlie Behner set a season-high, tallying a 9.775.
ROTATION 2 – VAULT
Kent State garnered the top three scores in the meet on vault. Gabby Riley and Mya Migliore tied for the event title, each earning a 9.850 score, marking a new career-high in the event for Riley and a season-high for Migliore. Finishing just behind the pair, Charlie Behner rounded out the top three by tallying a 9.825, a new season-high for her.
ROTATION 3 – FLOOR
Senior Alyssa Guns made a statement on the floor for the Flashes by earning a 9.925, the highest score in any event by a Kent State gymnast this season. After Guns' big score won the event, Nene Alvine recorded the second-highest score for the Flashes with a 9.775.
ROTATION 4 – BEAM
The Flashes' final rotation marked the only event won by an Eastern Michigan gymnast in the meet, as the Eagles earned the top three scores. Kent State's highest score on beam came from Alvine, who tallied a 9.800, while the duo of Riley and Heidi Schultz followed closely with scores of 9.775 each.
The Flashes will return to the MAC Center for their second conference meet of the season on Sunday, February 2, hosting Western Michigan at 1 p.m.
