Kent State University
Northern Illinois
Golden Flashes Aim for High Scores Sunday at Northern Illinois
1/28/2017 11:23:00 AM | Gymnastics
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The Kent State gymnastics team will try to continue to show improvement when it competes at Mid-American Conference member Northern Illinois in a tri-meet set for 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. Southeast Missouri will be the third participant in the meet.
The Golden Flashes (1-3, 1-0 MAC) will try to repeat last weekend's performance front of the home crowd at the M.A.C. Center after a disappointing showing in their first road meet of the season at #22 Ohio State on January 14. Kent State finished fourth in the quad meet with a score of 192.975, but bounced back with an impressive 195.525 to defeat Western Michigan in the conference opener.
This is the third meet of the season for Kent State and Southeast Missouri (0-3), while Northern Illinois (4-2, 0-1 MAC) will compete in its fourth meet.
LAST TIME OUT
Kent State improved its overall score by 2.550 points to defeat Western Michigan, 195.525-193.750, last Friday at the M.A.C. Center. The Golden Flashes won three of the events while tying on beam.
Junior Rachel Stypinski accomplished the rare feat of winning all five events and earned a 39.525 all-around score to tie Jessie James for the fourth-best mark in school history. It was the second all-around title in as many competitions this season for Stypisnki, as she set a new personal-best on vault (9.825) and matched her personal-best on bars (9.900).
Floor continued to be a strength with Kent State claiming the top six spots in the event. Stypinski scored her second straight 9.925 and was followed by seniors Jordan Hardison and Skyelee Lamano and freshman Jade Brown, who all earned a 9.875 to tie for second. Sophomore Alyssa Quinlan received a 9.850 for fifth and senior Samantha Gordon rounded out the lineup with a 9.750.
On uneven bars, junior Brooke Timko tied for second on bars with a 9.850. Junior Michaela Romito and Lamano each earned a 9.800 to tie for fourth, while sophomores Sarah Lippowitsch and Dara Williams were right behind them with a 9.775.
Hardison and Williams tied for fourth on vault with a score of 9.775. Senior Milena Fabry finished fourth on beam with a 9.750.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Huskies enter with a 193.750 average to rank fifth in the conference. After posting a 194.825 at to win a quad meet against Iowa, Lindenwood and Western Michigan to open the season, Northern Illinois saw its score drop each of the past two weekends on the road. The Huskies lost a conference meet at Ball State (193.575) and then took second in a tri-meet at Oregon State (192.850) last weekend.
Floor has been the Huskies' best event early in the season, ranking 20th nationally with an average of 48.883.
Ashley Potts is the top all-around performer for NIU. Potts is fourth in the MAC with an average score of 38.933 and also ranks fourth on bars (9.842). Jamyra Carter leads the way on bars, ranking fourth in the MAC with a 9.850 average.
SCOUTING SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
The Redhawks seek their first victory of the season and are currently ranked 63rd in the country (190.638). Southeast Missouri started the season with a third-place finish in a tri-meet with Lindenwood and Missouri and then lost to Lindenwood in a dual last weekend.
Alexis Brawner is the team's top all-around performer with an average of 38.325. Brawner captured all-around (38.475), vault (9.825) and bars (9.825) titles in the Lindenwood dual. Ashley Thomas won the floor title in the meet with a score of 9.825.
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State is 42-8 all-time vs. Northern Illinois. The Golden Flashes have won the last three matchups, including a 196.050-193.900 victory as part of a tri-meet with George Washington at the M.A.C. Center last season. The Huskies came out on top, 193.750-193.025, the last time the Flashes visited DeKalb in 2015.
The Flashes are 5-1 all-time vs. Southeast Missouri. Kent State has won the past five matchups, including a 194.725-192.375 victory on the road in 2014 most recently.
UP NEXT
Beauty and the Beast makes its return on Saturday, February 4 at 2 p.m. as the gymnastics team takes on #25 West Virginia while the wrestling team tangles with #1 Oklahoma State.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
Be sure to follow the Kent State gymnastics team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad. Live meet updates will be available through Twitter.
Players Mentioned
