Kent State University
Ball State
Impressive Showing on Floor Propels Flashes Past Cardinals
1/23/2022 3:16:00 PM | Gymnastics
MUNCIE, Ind. - Sunday afternoon, the Kent State gymnastics team competed in its first road contest of the season, defeating Ball State, 194.875 to 194.800.
Taking to the road to take on Mid-American Conference opponent Ball State, the Golden Flashes started off the meet with a 48.625 on the uneven bars. Sophomore Sarah Haxton posted the highest score for the Flashes on the bars with a 9.825. However, Ball State would go on to register a slightly higher score on the event with a 48.675.
The Flashes then switched over to vault, where they came away with a score of 48.750. Sophomore Kyndall Gilbert led the way for Kent State on this event, registering an impressive 9.900, tied for the highest score on any event for either team. But Ball State would get the edge on the Flashes on this event as well, hitting the mark of 49.025.
It was then that the Flashes would undertake their most successful event of the day, floor, which would also turn out to be the deciding factor in the final outcome of the meet. Kent State registered a 48.975 on floor, greatly exceeding Ball State's 48.275. Junior Karlie Franz had the highest total on the event for the Flashes with 9.875.
On Kent State's final event of the day, beam, they posted a score of 48.525, their lowest of the meet. Ball State had already registered a score of 48.825 on beam.
But that ultimately wouldn't matter, and the Flashes came out on top by the thinnest of margins, winning by 0.075. Floor was the only event on which the Flashes were not outscored, but the stark contrast between Kent State's score on floor and Ball State's would be enough to give the Flashes the final edge in this one. With that, Kent State improves to 2-0 on the young season and beats yet another MAC opponent, after topping NIU last Sunday at home.
Next up on the schedule for the Flashes is another home meet this Friday at 7 p.m., when Kent State welcomes Cornell and Rutgers to town on Military Appreciation Night.
