Gymnasts clinch home-opener against NIU
Central Michigan gymnastics placed first in all four events, picking up its first win of the season against Northern Illinois University on Saturday.
A dominate floor performance claimed the 195.425-193.600 victory for the Chippewas, their first of the year in the Mid-American Conference.
The Chippewas started the competition on vault, leaping to an early lead. Senior Hannah Demers lead with a day-high 9.850 on the vault.
Junior Adriana Bustelo had a big day with two top finishes. She had a career best 9.925 on the uneven bars and a 9.85 on beam.
“I wasn’t too stressed," Bustelo said. "I was just focusing on the words that I normally tell myself, and just reassuring myself that I could do it for the team.”
The team also claimed all top five spots for their floor routines. Senior Taylor Pitchell received the first-place score of 9.925. Demers and junior Elizabeth Buttle posted the second highest scores on floor with 9.900.
“I just step and do what I’ve been training in the gym, and just trust it,” Pitchell said. “I don’t even have to think about it because it’s just every day I work for the same thing.”
“We challenge each other to get one-tenth better,” said head coach Christine MacDonald. “We take it as a nameless, faceless opponent in the fact that our performance is independent of the competition.”
The Chippewas face Bowling Green on Friday at 7 p.m. at McGuirk Arena.
