Kent State University
Ball State
Flashes Travel to Ball State for First Road Meet
1/20/2022 11:07:00 AM | Gymnastics
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Kent State gymnastics team is set to hit the road for its first road meet of 2022, as they take on Ball State Sunday at 1 p.m.
About the Flashes
Kent State comes into their second meet of the season riding high off of a victory in the opener Sunday, when they defeated Northern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State at the M.A.C. Center. The Golden Flashes finished with a score of 195.300, their second-highest score in an opening meet in program history (only topped by a 195.475 opening day score in 2004).
Head coach Brice Biggin's bunch needed a strong showing to beat NIU and SEMO, who finished with scores of 194.150 and 191.500, respectively. But thanks to key contributions from junior Olivia Amodei, sophomore Kyndall Gilbert, sophomore Sarah Haxton, and junior Rachel DeCavitch, who each came in first place or tied for first in a given category, the Flashes were able to emerge victorious. Amodei, the Detroit, Michigan native, tied for first on floor with NIU's Tara Kofmehl at 9.850. She also tied for first on bars with Haxton at 9.850. Both scores were personal records for Amodei, as was Haxton's.
Gilbert posted a 9.875 on vault, a full .100 ahead of the next highest score. That was both a personal record for Gilbert and a new team record on vault for the Flashes. Additionally, DeCavitch came in first place in the all-around category, registering a score of 38.800. Other Flashes who posted personal bests on Sunday include freshman Grace Wehry on vault, Gilbert and junior Karlie Franz on bars, Cami Klein on beam, and Wehry and Haxton on floor.
About the Cardinals
Ball State enters the meet Sunday having already completed three contests in this young season. In their season opener on January 7, the Cardinals came in second out of three teams, posting a 193.775 against Missouri and Illinois State. On January 14, they lost at Kentucky but posted a strong score of 194.750. Then on Sunday, Ball State traveled to face MAC foe Western Michigan, posting a 195.675 but still coming up short against the Broncos.
Thus far this season, Victoria Henry and Suki Pfister are tied for the Ball State team lead on vault with scores of 9.850. Three gymnasts are tied for the lead on bars at 9.800. Lauren Volpe leads the team on beam with a 9.875, and Henry and Megan Teter are tied for the lead on floor at 9.825.
Last Time They Met
Kent State and Ball State met a total of three times in 2021. The first time they faced off was in a quad meet against Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. In that affair, the Cardinals bested the Flashes, 195.975 to 194.825. Later in the season, Ball State traveled to Kent for a dual meet with the Flashes, once again beating them, this time by a score of 195.725 to 194.675. But then in the MAC Championships in Kalamazoo, Kent State finished third to Ball State's fifth, topping the Cardinals, 195.425 to 194.800.
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 and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
