Gymnastics shaping up for regionals
Over spring break the gymnastics team kept rolling toward its third NCAA regional berth.
The gymnastics team lost at West Virginia and finished third at the Wolfpack Invitational, but team scores increased its regional standing.
CMU is 10-9 overall and is second in the MAC at 4-3.
Saturday CMU 194.550, West Virginia 194.475
Head Coach Jerry Reighard cost his team a win against the Mountaineers.
In the third rotation on floor exercise, Central went out of order, costing the team three tenths of a point.
“It was very unfortunate, it was a major mistake that cost us the meet,” Reighard said. “It’s the first and last time it will happen, we lost the meet but won the battle.”
The Chippewas lost 194.550 to 194.475 with West Virginia taking first on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise.
“It hurts to lose this way, it hurts me even more,” Reighard said. “The team knows we were the better athletes today, unfortunately it’s not going to be a win in the record book.”
“Our athletes left the meet with a positive attitude and we are winners no matter what the score,” he said.
Freshman Kara Reighard finished second in the all around with a 39.15 score and junior Sarah Dame finished third with a 39.1.
“They both had four extraordinary events for us today,” Jerry Reighard said.
Kara Reighard finished third on the uneven bars and fourth on the vault with a 9.75. She scored a 9.85 on floor exercise and a 9.8 on balance beam.
Dame scored a career-high 9.85 on the balance beam and a 9.825 on floor exercise. She finished fifth on the vault with a 9.725 and scored a 9.7 on bars.
Senior Sarah Nelson topped the bars rotation with a 9.7 en route to a score of 48.425.
“We hit six great bar routines, but the scores were not what we were used to seeing,” Reighard said. “The team could have folded, but it’s a credit to them that they did not.”
He said the team had six fabulous scores on floor exercise.
Freshman Laura McLaren scored a career-high 9.8.
“She captivated the crowd and judges with her routine and really set the pace for us,” Reighard said.
Freshman Shanna Duggan finished third with a 9.875 and junior Michele Orloski scored a 9.85. Sophomore Tiffani Berra added a 9.775.
Duggan scored a career-high 9.9 and tied senior Bethany Couturier for first on the balance beam en route to the Chippewas second straight score of 49 or better on beam.
“This team really believes in themselves and they feel they are equal to any competition,” Reighard said. “Each team now knows that we can finish on floor and beam, which has been a phenomenal change for us in the last three weeks.”
The score of 194.475 replaces the Chippewas score of 192.2, boosting the team’s regional standing.
CMU third in Wolfpack Invitational
Bethany Couturier set a school record 9.95 on balance beam en route to a score of 49.250 at North Carolina State.
The Chippewas took three of the top four places in the event. Junior Michele Orloski and freshman Sara Burtinsky tied for third with a 9.875, both career-highs.
The team scored 195.275 and for the third consecutive week scored more than 195.
Junior Tammy Verrinder finished second on the vault with a 9.825 and Couturier scored a 9.775.
Nelson tied her career-high on uneven bars with a 9.85 for a fifth- place finish. Duggan finished seventh on floor exercise with a 9.85.
Kara Reighard finished eighth in the all around with a 37.275.
North Carolina won the meet with a score of 196.15 and North Carolina State took second with a score of 195.55.
Rounding up the four spots were CMU; George Washington with a 194.6, William and Mary with a 192.2 and James Madison with a 187.35.
