Kent State University
West Virginia
BEAUTY: Gymnastics to Host #25 Mountaineers
2/3/2017 1:55:00 PM | Gymnastics
Kent State hosts No. 25 West Virginia on Saturday at 2 p.m. as part of the Beauty and the Beast event. The fan-favorite event, which features the gymnastics and wrestling teams competing simultaneously next to each other, returns to the M.A.C. Center after a one-year hiatus.
The Golden Flashes (2-4) are ranked 31st in the country after their first three competitions of the season and will look towards the energy of the home crowd to aid in a bounce-back performance from last weekend at Northern Illinois. Kent State scored an impressive 195.525 to defeat Western Michigan in its lone home meet of the season on January 20.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
This will be the fourth Beauty and the Beast meet that Kent State has hosted, and both the gymnastics and wrestling teams hold a 3-0 record in the event. The unique event provides fans with an opportunity to enjoy the different aspects of both sports at the same time.
Beauty and The Beast will be in attendance to mingle with fans and take photos during the event. There will be a coloring contest for children with the winner receiving a Future Flashes prize pack, which includes a t-shirt, backpack, pennant and much more. Children who submit their completed coloring contest entry at the Athletic Ticket Office will receive a $2 discount off their ticket.
Following the conclusion of the competition, there will be a joint autograph session featuring student-athletes from both teams in the atrium located on the second level of the M.A.C. Center.
LAST TIME OUT
Kent State placed second in a tri-meet at Northern Illinois with a team score of 194.375. The host Huskies posted a 194.425 to narrowly edge out the Golden Flashes, while Southeast Missouri finished third with a 190.500.
The Flashes won both beam and vault and took second on bars and floor. Individually, junior Rachel Stypinski took the beam title and senior Jordan Hardison tied for first on vault.
It was a breakout performance on beam, which was a perceived strength heading into the season, with a season-high 49.075 that is the team's best since March 18, 2015 and a 0.850 improvement from its previous meet. Five gymnasts earned their best beam score of the season, led by Stypinski's 9.925, which is tied for the sixth-best score in program history. Sophomore Kennedy Plude (9.850) and senior Milena Fabry (9.825) earned career-high scores to finish tied for third and fifth, respectively.
Senior Jordan Hardison set a new career-high 9.825 to tie for first on vault and help the Flashes match the previous week's season-high of 48.775. Sophomore Dara Williams tied for third with a score of 9.800 with Plude earning a 9.775 to finish in a tie for fifth.
Hardison also led the Flashes on floor with a 9.800 to finish second. Freshman Jade Brown and senior Skyelee Lamano both earned a 9.725 to tie for fifth.
Junior Michaela Romito led the way on bars with a 9.750 to tie for fifth. Junior Brooke Timko and Williams were right behind with a 9.725 to tie for seventh.
SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers (4-2) are 25th in the country with an all-around average of 195.031 through its first four meets. Last weekend, West Virginia earned the 18th-best score in school history (196.300) to win a quad meet against #7 Denver, Temple and Towson.
West Virginia has been a performed at a higher level at home than on the road this year. While it has averaged a 195.925 in two home meets, that average drops to 194.138 in two away meets.
The Mountaineers ranks among the top 30 on three apparatuses — 16th on vault (48.994), t-20th on floor (48.888) and 27th on beam (48.594).
All-American Kirah Koshinski leads the way with a 9.894 on floor and 9.881 on vault to rank tied for 15th and tied for 17th in the nation, respectively. Koshinski has a team-high five event victories, including three on floor exercise. She scored a career-high 9.950 to finish in a three-way tie behind national leader Maggie Nichols during a dual meet against #1 Oklahoma. Zaakira Muhammad is tied for 22 in the country on vault with an average of 9.863.
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State is 10-20 all-time vs. West Virginia. The Golden Flashes have lost three consecutive matchups. The teams last met during the 2010 season, as the Mountaineers defeated the Flashes, 192.425-190.625, as part of a tri-meet at Pitt and then 195.100-194.825 at the NCAA Regional it they hosted in Morgantown. Kent State last earned a victory in the series on January 16, 2005, 190.800-190.525, at the M.A.C. Center. The Flashes are 4-3 all-time vs. WVU at home.
UP NEXT
Kent State gets back into the Mid-American Conference schedule with a trip to Eastern Michigan on February 10.
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
