Kent State University
Centenary College
Gymnastics Posts 195.050 in 2018 Opener
1/14/2018 3:57:00 PM | Gymnastics
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team earned a convincing 195.050-178.875 victory over Centenary in the 2018 season opener at the M.A.C. Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes won all four events while hitting the 195.000 mark in a season opener for the first time since 2004. Kent State scored a 49.050 on both uneven bars and floor exercise in addition to 48.550 on vault and 48.400 on balance beam.
"I was very pleased with how we performed and thought we did a great job for our opening meet," said head coach Brice Biggin. "You never know what is going to happen in that first meet and how they are going to produce in front of the crowd and judges, but we looked consistent all day long. There really wasn't a weak event today, and that's something we've been working hard on."
Senior All-American Rachel Stypinski won three of the four events and earned a 39.375 all-around score. Stypinski started the competition with a 9.700 on vault, which tied for third-place, and then matched her personal-best on bars (9.900). She then scored a 9.875 on beam and brought the meet to a close with a 9.900 on floor.
Junior Dara Williams earned her third career vault title with a 9.775 and scored a 9.800 to take fourth as part of a strong bars rotation.
Freshman Abby Fletcher had a strong showing in her collegiate debut, taking second in two of three events. Fletcher earned a 9.850 on floor and a 9.725 on vault to earn runner-up honors on both apparatus.
On beam, senior Ali Marrero and junior Sarah Lippowitsch both earned a 9.725 to tie for second. Marrero also finished third on bars with a 9.825.
Senior Brooke Timko scored a 9.875 on bars to match her personal-best and take second in the event.
Sophomore Sarah McCarty took third on both floor and vault. McCarty scored a 9.800 in her floor debut and earned a 9.700 to match her best from a season ago, when she was limited by injury to just three meets.
Freshman Nasha Manitkul-Davis and sophomore Sammi Nero competed for the first time as members of the Kent State team. Manitkul-Davis was in the lineup for three events, while Nero made her debut on vault.
"There were a little bit of jitters, and we can definitely clean some things up," Biggin added. "But to start the year the way we did gives me a lot of hope."
Kent State will be home once again on Friday, January to face Northern Illinois 19 at 7 p.m.
Be sure to follow the Kent State gymnastics team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
Final Results
1.) Kent State 195.050
2.) Centenary 178.875
Individual Event Winners
Vault: Dara Williams (Kent State) – 9.775
Bars: Rachel Stypinski (Kent State) – 9.900
Beam: Rachel Stypinski (Kent State) – 9.875
Floor: Rachel Stypinski (Kent State) – 9.900
All-Around: Rachel Stypinski (Kent State) 39.375
Players Mentioned
