Friday's Gymnastics Results
Friday Scoreboard
Kentucky 194.825,
Ball State 191.650
Arizona State 192.700,
Bowling Green 191.900
Nebraska 194.050,
Bowling Green 191.900
Central Michigan 193.600, UW-Eau Claire 184.375
Central Michigan 193.600, UW-Whitewater 186.700
Central Michigan 193.600, Winona State 183.525
Ball State
Scores
LEXINGTON, Ky. - - In front of a packed house in Memorial Coliseum, the Ball State gymnastics team opened the 2016 season with a 194.825 to 191.650 loss to national power and 24th-ranked Kentucky Friday evening in the Wildcats’ Excite Night.
“The first meet is always good for getting out in front of the judges and shaking off some of those first competition jitters,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “Unfortunately, our performance didn’t reflect the way we have been training. This team has the most depth it’s ever had, as well as an intense drive to perform. We need to take the passion and confidence we have in the practice gym and apply it to our gymnastics on the competition floor.”
Ball State opened the night with a 47.175 on the uneven bars, where Angela Durkac took seventh place with a score of 9.650. Kayla Beckler followed in eighth with a score of 9.525 and Miranda Kuehl scoring a 9.475 landing her in ninth.
On the vault, senior Erin Patchey and sophomore Jordyn Penny tied for third with a score of 9.800. Patchey successfully matched her career-high score, while Penny surpassed her previous career mark of 9.775.
The Cardinals carried their momentum to the floor exercise, where two-time defending Mid-American Conference floor exercise champion Denasiha Christian took second place with a score of 9.850. Patchey follow in fourth, with a mark of 9.775.
Ball State concluded the meet on the balance beam, where sophomore Baylee Bell tied for third with Wildcats senior Montana Whittle, both scoring 9.750.
The Cardinals return to action Sunday, Jan. 17, when it hosts Towson in its new home for the 2016 season, Worthen Arena. Admission to the meet is free.
“We need to show the crowd and the judges our gymnastics is natural and consistent,” Saleem continued. “Although that may have been lacking today, I have no doubt these girls will be ready to succeed at our next competition in Worthen Arena, because hard work pays off.”
Bowling Green
Scores
Tempe, Ariz. – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team opened its 2016 season against Arizona State and No. 11 Nebraska Friday evening, scoring a 191.900 at the tri-meet. The Huskers earned the win with a 194.050 and the Sun Devils finished with 192.700.
Individually, three-time regional qualifier Alyssa Nocella and last year's co-vault Mid-American Conference champion Lauren Feely competed in the all-around for the Falcons, placing third and fourth respectively.
The pair gave solid 9.675 performances on the balance beam before moving to floor exercise where Nocella tied for first overall with a 9.850. Feely recorded her second score of 9.675 during the second rotation. The senior then vaulted her way to another 9.675, followed by Feely's strong 9.775. Rounding out their evenings on uneven bars, Nocella earned a 9.725 and Feely wrapped up with 9.500.
Another individual stand out performance was by newcomer Leslie Delgado who joined the team this past month. She competed on vault, scoring a 9.650 and uneven bars, scoring a 9.675. Sophomore Laura Mitchell's balance beam routine earned her a score of 9.800, which was good for fourth overall on the event. Senior Caroline Ellingboe was the top scorer for the Falcons on the unever bars with a 9.775.
BGSU's highest score on an apparatus came on vault with a 48.375. Freshman Rachel Creagh began the rotation with a 9.500 and other scorers on the event included Delgado (9.650), Nocella (9.675), Victoria Heath (9.775) and Feely (9.775).
The Orange and Brown feature a roster of 12 underclassmen and just five upperclassmen.
The Falcons will travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan on Jan. 17 to open the MAC season against Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Following the tri-meet, BGSU competes at home for the first time in 2016 on Jan. 23, hosting Alaska Anchorage in Anderson Arena.
Central Michigan
Scores
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Katie Janowicz won the all-around Friday as the Central Michigan gymnastics team captured a quadrangular meet hosted by Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
The Chippewas finished with a 193.600 team score to easily outdistance second-place Wisconsin-Whitewater, which finished with 186.700.
Eau Claire finished third at 184.375 and Winona State was fourth with 183.525.
The Chippewas improved slightly on the 193.425 they posted in beating Temple on Sunday in their season opener, but, coach Jerry Reighard said, the performances were, on the whole, better across the board.
"We feel better about ourselves than we did last week in a lot of respects," he said.
Particularly on balance beam, where the Chippewas posted a 48.750 score. On Sunday against Temple, they scored 47.175.
"Congratulations to our beam squad," Reighard said. "Totally different look from them. Very excited and pleased with the performances in that event.
"What gets me excited is when you perform the way I know you're capable of performing. I felt like I saw more of that tonight on beam and I think we can really build on that."
CMU sophomore Katy Clements, competing in just her second collegiate competition, won the beam with a 9.800.
"We put her up first in the order and doggone it she wins the event," Reighard said. "You find out about their competitive nature."
Clements, Caroline Fitzpatrick (9.675) and Janowicz (9.750) each improved her beam score - in some cases by a large margin - over their Sunday performances. Anchor Jordan Charrette, who won the beam on Sunday, scored a solid 9.775 on Friday.
The Chippewas' Karlee Teet won bars with a 9.825 score and Taylor Bolender was first on floor exercise with a 9.825. Janowicz won the all-round with a 38.625. She was second on vault (9.725), fourth on bars (9.725) and tied for third on beam.
Janowicz won the all-around and shared first place on floor in Sunday's meet.
"I think Kasey's going to be a very special athlete here at CMU," Reighard said. "Not only is she handling it very well, she wants to carry the ball. She has her own specific goals and that speaks volumes. When you want it and you have your own expectations I think that's what makes a great athlete."
The Chippewas swept the top four spots on beam, floor exercise and bars, and placed four gymnasts in the top five on vault. Chloe Rehberg of Whitewater won the vault with a 9.750.
"The frustrating part was we fully expected last week what we saw tonight," Reighard said. "We didn't get more talented in a week. It was a different pressure at this meet, it was a different order. Maybe we'll find out what combination's going to click. I was very pleased with the improvement."
The Chippewas entertain Brigham Young in a non-conference dual meet on Friday, Jan. 15, then go to Northern Illinois one week later for their Mid-American Conference opener.
"These two meets have been our training period. Now with BYU, the competitive juices have to come out next week and with these two meets under our belt, I think they will."
Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
