Gymnastics grabs win against MAC foe Kent State
Central Michigan gymnastics team cheer after freshman All-around Kennedy Rae Johnson performs her beam routine on Feb. 18 at McGuirk Arena.
Central Michigan gymnastics topped Kent State Sunday by a .025 score difference.
The Chippewas won 196.150-196.125 over the Golden Flashes.
CMU bumped to a 6-1 record (4-0 in the Mid-American Conference) and Kent State dropped to 5-3 (2-2 in MAC).
CMU was winning 98.125-97.950 after the second round, with both vault and uneven bars events finished, but dropped .35 points after competing in the beam in the third round.
“I knew we could come back,” said head coach Jerry Reighard. “The deficit we faced is very difficult to overtake, but we had floor in the fourth round and it’s always been a strong event for us.”
Reighard’s statement rings true as the Chippewas produced their second highest floor routine output of the season with a score of 49.350, only .05 short of a season-high 49.400 score.
Senior gymnast Katy Clements secured a 9.925 score, edging the Chippewas past Kent State.
Reighard thinks it was a combination of Clements effort, as well as the judge for the event deciding Clements stood out with her routine.
“The coaching staff and I all knew if Clements went 9.9 on her routine, we’d tie," Reighard said. "But the judge gave us a 9.925 which was a gutsy move on her part. I think she analyzed what she saw from everyone else and said ‘you know what? I threw some 9.9 prior, but that was a little above the rest.'"
CMU will look to compete in a three-team event alongside Bowling Green and Ohio State at 2 p.m. Feb. 25 at Anderson Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio.
