Mount Pleasant, Mich. Despite no winner on an individual event, team wins on every event helped the Golden Flashes beat the Chippewas 194.625-192.175 Saturday night in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
After the meet, Kent State Head Coach Brice Biggin talked about solid scores from throughout the meet line-up. “This is what we talked about all season. The first through third gymnasts are important but gymnasts four through six is where you win meets.”
Senior Kristin Peters (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) finished second on bars with a score of 9.825. Senior Jill Kowalski (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) and junior Laci Hendress (Wolcott, Ind./Tri-County) tied for second with routines of 9.775 on beam. Freshman Christina Lenny (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) received a 9.775 on floor to finish third while freshman Christine Abou-Mitri (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) finished second with a mark of 9.750 on vault.
Central Michigan was led by Andrea de la Garza, who received a 9.825 to win on floor and a 38.500 to win the all-around. Jenna D'Alie won with a score of 9.875 on bars while Jessica Suder received a 9.800 to win on beam. Katie Simon won on vault with a score of 9.775.
Opening the meet on bars, the Golden Flashes received a team score of 48.875. Peters took second while Kowalski and junior Stacey Kalberg (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) tied for third with a 9.800.
On vault, Abou-Mitri led the Golden Flashes with a second-place finish while junior Rachel Stuck (Erie, Pa./Fairview) and freshman Felice Feugill (Weston, Fla./Cyprus Bay) tied for third with identical scores of 9.700. The team earned a score of 48.450.
In the third rotation on floor, KSU notched a team score of 48.625. Lenny finished third while Stuck and finished fourth with a mark of 9.750. Hendress and junior Amanda St. John (Avon, Ohio/Avon) received a score of 9.725 and finished tied for sixth.
Finishing the meet on beam, Kent State received a team score of 48.675 on beam. Besides Kowalski and Hendress tying for second, Peters and sophomore Carly Conroy (North Jackson, Ohio/Jackson-Milton) tied for sixth with marks of 9.750.
“We're happy with the win and the score is the best on the road this season. It was a grind: we looked a little rough in spots,” said Biggin. “We looked like we were holding back a bit.”
The Golden Flashes return to action next Friday when it hosts Bowling Green at the M.A.C. Center at 7 p.m.
