Sunday’s Gymnastics Results
Ball State 195.225, Bowling Green 193.200
Central Michigan 195.000, Western Michigan 194.675
Kent State 194.250, Fisk 188.975, West Virginia 192.025
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Ball State 195.225, Bowling Green 193.200
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State was Golden Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena, taking the top spot in all four individual events on its way to a 195.225 to 193.200 Mid-American Conference victory over Bowling Green on K-Pop Demon Hunters Day.
Junior Ashley Szymanski led the way, earning her second individual bars title of the season with a score of 9.775, while also taking top honors on beam for the second time in her with a career-high tying mark of 9.875.
Sophomore Karli Mercer was the first Ball State gymnasts to hit the win column, picking up her first collegiate event victory with a career-high tying 9.825.
Junior Ava Molina rounded out the Cardinals' event sweep with the highest individual score of the day, earning a career-best 9.900 on floor. She is the third different Ball State gymnast to score a 9.900 this season, joining Szymanski (bars) and senior Zoe Middleton (beam) who hit the mark in the season-opener.
Overall, Ball State's gymnasts finished the day with 12 scores of 9.750-or-higher, along with 10 scores which tied or set personal-bests.
Rotation 1: Vault (48.775)
Ball State's first three gymnasts in the rotation each logged a career-best mark, starting with sophomore Jordanna Phillis who tied for second at 9.775. Mercer won the even from the No. 3 slot in the Ball State lineup, tying her career-best at 9.825. Freshman Carley Stalder also tied for second a 9.775, while junior Lindsay Girard tied for fourth at 9.725.
Rotation 2: Bars (48.550)
Szymanski picked up her 14th career bars title with her 9.775. Middleton took second overall at 9.750. Senior Mary Rose Bellan completed a 1-2-3 effort for Ball State in the event with a 9.700
Rotation 3: Beam (48.850)
The Ball State's gymnasts earned six of the top seven beam scores of the day, led by Szymanski's winning mark of 9.875. Juniors Lindsay Fuller and Delaney McMahon tied for second at 9.800. The Cardinals also counted a 9.700 from Middleton.
Rotation 4: Floor (49.050)
Ball State ended the meet with its best rotation of the season, with the final five gymnasts in the rotation tying or hitting a career-best mark. Molina's 9.900 led the way, while junior Lindsay Girard tied her career-best at 9.825 to tie for second. Stalder and sophomore Grace Suchecki tied for fourth, with scores of 9.800, while sophomore Avery Kantor made her competitive debut with a 9.725 to cap the team's countable scores.
The Ball State gymnastics team travels to Northern Illinois for its second MAC dual of the season, a 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT showdown with the Huskies.
Central Michigan 195.000, Western Michigan 194.675
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Back home in McGuirk, the Chippewas succeed with a gritty victory.
Central Michigan Gymnastics opened its home schedule Sunday night, where the Chippewas outscored Western Michigan 195.000-194.675.
The Chippewas earned their first MAC win of the season by taking three of the four events, led by a sweep on uneven bars with a team score of 49.150.
Lia Kmieciak tied her career-best to win bars with a 9.900 and Luciana Alvarado-Reid placed second with a 9.850. Ava Wellmeier and Kaitlyn Schwab tied for third, each scoring 9.825, and a new career-high for Wellmeier.
Trailing heading into the final rotation, the Chippewas delivered on floor with a 48.975. Alvarado-Reid capped the meet with an event-winning 9.900, while sophomore Zoë Zimmerman claimed second with a 9.825. Junior Jenna Germond and Wellmeier tied for third, each scoring 9.800.
Junior Zoie Pelfrey took first on balance beam posting a 9.800.
The Chippewas are set to host by Illinois State in McGuirk Arena on Jan. 24 (6 p.m.).
Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
Kent State 194.250, Fisk 188.975, West Virginia 192.025
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team continued its dominant home stretch with a convincing victory at the M.A.C. Center on Sunday afternoon, posting a 194.925 to outdistance West Virginia (192.025) and Fisk (188.975) in front of 1,017 fans.
The Golden Flashes improved to 3-0 on the season and remained unbeaten at home, extending their impressive run in the M.A.C. Center.
Kent State set the tone early with a 49.000 on vault, the highest team score of the afternoon. Charlie Behner led the way with a meet-winning 9.900, while Taylor Achambeau claimed second place with a 9.850. Jersey Bingman rounded out the top three vault finishers with a 9.825, giving the Flashes a commanding advantage in the opening rotation.
The Flashes continued to build their lead on the uneven bars, posting a 48.300. Nastia Rudnitskaya captured first place with a 9.800, edging out WVU's Amber Lowe by 0.025. Dani Fuertez and Mya Migliore tied for fourth in the event with matching 9.700s, while Heidi Schultz contributed a 9.650.
Kent State posted its third-highest team score of the day on balance beam with a 48.600. Heidi Schultz delivered in the anchor position once again, earning a meet-winning 9.850. Ashley Morgan followed closely with a 9.800 for second place, while Mya Migliore tied for third with a 9.750.
The Golden Flashes closed out the meet in style with a 49.025 on floor exercise, their highest event total of the afternoon. Charlie Behner claimed her second individual title of the day with a 9.875, while Zoe Rankin finished second at 9.850. Ashley Morgan added a third-place 9.800, with Jersey Bingman and Nastia Rudnitskaya tying for fourth at 9.750.
The Flashes hit the road for the Air Force Quad Meet, facing the host Falcons along with Boise State and Eastern Michigan this Friday, January 23, at 9 p.m. Eastern.
