CMU gymnastics caps Senior Day with victory
Canton sophomore Hannah DeMers executes her floor routine during a Feb. 28 meet against Bowling Green in McGuirk Arena.
Senior Day for the Chippewas was met with emotional and up-lifting messages to the seniors from their underclassman teammates.
For the second time this season, the Chippewas took down Bowling Green with a 195.975-193.750 win in Mid-American Conference gymnastics Sunday in McGuirk Arena.
Team camaraderie again was displayed yet again with an all-around dominant performance by the Chippewas (3-3) over the Falcons (0-7). The vault, bars, and floor events were the highlight for CMU this afternoon with individual career highs and season high, team event scores.
“We have great senior leadership and that the videos showed at the end they really are mentoring the younger athletes,” said head coach Christine MacDonald. “Success is only proven by your hard work, and I think that our underclassmen have really bought into the whole process and to the team culture.”
With a tough loss last week to Kent State, CMU bounced back and showed perseverance and the will to fight and compete. All four rotations were won by the Chippewas, but the balance beam continues to be a struggle for a young and improving line-up. The other three event totals were still more than enough to carry the beam score.
CMU honored three seniors -- Nora Fettinger, Kennedy Johnson and Sydney Williams.
Impact moments
Into the first rotation the Chippewas scored a 49.100 on the vault versus the Falcons 48.375 on the bars. CMU started off strong on the vault as usual. Williams had her season-high 9.850. Every Chippewa in the lineup had a 9.775 or higher. The vault has been a staple all season for CMU, which came in as the MAC leader in the event.
CMU freshman Adriana Bustelo led off on bars immediately getting a flood of cheers and excitement from her teammates after she finished. CMU scored a 49.075 on bars while Bowling Green posted a 48.825 on the vault. The second rotation was also highlighted by Johnson’s season-high score of 9.775.
On the balance beam CMU freshman Amber Mueller has showed growth, steadily improving her scores for the third meet in-a-row. As a team, CMU finished with a 48.475 on the beam, Bowling Green scored a 48.650. The Chippewas have struggled with team scores this season on the beam, but sophomore Ashley Veglucci shinned today with a meet-high score of 9.800.
Bowling Green ended their final rotation on the beam with a score of 48.650. CMU with a strong finish and season high 49.325 on the floor. Veglucci, Williams and Fettinger gave CMU a hot start to start the line-up. Demers continued the dominant rotation on the floor with a career high while, CMU junior Sierra DeMarinis had a career-high 9.925 as well.
Chippewa leaders
Williams and Demers tied the meet high 9.850 on vault.
Johnson had the meet high 9.875 on bars.
Veglucci had the meet high 9.800 on the beam.
DeMarinis had the meet high 9.925 on the floor, also notching a 39.125 on the all-around.
Demers had the meet high 39.300 on the all-around.
Falcon leaders
Senior Samantha Marion tied the meet high 9.850 on vault.
Junior Paige Bachner had the team high 9.775 on bars.
Senior Jasmine Jones had the team high 9.675 on the beam.
Senior Elena Lawson had the team high of 9.775 on the floor.
Sophomore Taylor Jenson scored a 38.550 on the all-around.
Up next
CMU is back on the road for a tri-meet against Northern Illinois and Lindenwood at 2 p.m. on March 7 in Horton Field House in Normal, Illinois.
