CMU falls, this time at Falcons
BOWLING GREEN, (OH) — Marny Oestreng and Bowling Green defeated the Chippewas Saturday.
Oestreng took top honors in three events, won the all around and led the Falcons to their first win over the Chippewas since 1987.
She finished the all around with a score of 39.2. She also had top scores in the floor exercise (9.925), vault (9.7) and uneven bars (9.85).
BGSU (2-0, 1-0) defeated Central 194.225 to 192.200 to improve their record to 2-0 and 1-0 in the MAC.
“Bowling Green came in at the top of their game,” Head Coach Jerry Reighard said. “We had some great routines, but our mistakes put doubt in our minds that we could not win.”
He said the team made some huge strides, but could not capitalize on consistently hitting their routines.
Reighard added that the team could not effectively score builds, which means each routine after the first score increases.
For the second consecutive week, Central had to count falls in its scores and the Falcons did not.
“It’s our biggest problem right now,” Reighard said. “Our goal was to score 48.5 or better on each event and today it only happened on floor exercise.”
The Chippewas started and ended with a fall on the balance beam and made two errors on bars.
It’s the second straight MAC loss for CMU, now 0-2 and 1-3 overall.
Dame finished third in the all around with a score of 35.9.
“It’s frustrating, we are counting falls and it is hurting our team,” Sarah Dame said.
Sara Burtinsky took top honors on the balance beam with a career-high 9.85 and scored a career-high 9.775 on bars.
Kara Reighard and Shanna Duggan finished tied for third with career-highs of 9.825.
Reighard finished second in the all around with a career-high 38.8 and scored a career-high 9.75 on floor exercise, after being delayed seven times because problems with her music.
Laura McLauren made her first career start on bars with a 9.65 and scored a 9.425 on floor exercise.
Central trailed 48.1 to 47.7 after the first rotation.
Bowling Green increased its lead after at the end of two rotations by nearly two points after CMU finished with a 47.875 on vaulting.
“I didn’t agree with our vaulting scores,” Reighard said.
Kara Reighard finished third with a score of 9.65 and Dame finished with a 9.625.
Tiffani Barra tied her career-high with a 9.8 on floor exercise and the team finished with a season best- 48.800, but the Falcons also scored a season best 49.
Michele Orloski was in the floor line up for the first time this season and finished with a 9.8.
Central next competes at the MI Classics on Feb. 3.
