CMU gymnastics takes a tumble, loses MAC Championship

Making up five-tenths of a point in the floor exercise wasn’t enough for the gymnastics team to secure a third consecutive Mid-American Conference title Friday.

CMU finished the meet in second with 194.650 points, while Kent State came in first with 195.000.

“It was a disappointment tonight especially with the caliber of our team,” said coach Jerry Reighard. “Our team is very good and we didn’t have a good night. We just need to accept that.”

CMU was down by eight-tenths of a point going into the floor exercise.

Senior Sara Burtinsky placed second with a score of 9.825 and freshman Rhiannon Banda-Scott placed third to make up five-tenths of a point.

The highlight of the meet was in the uneven parallel bars when Burtinsky tied with Northern Illinois’ Ashlee Williams for first with a score of 9.875.

Sophomore Sheena Smith secured the third place spot with a score of 9.850.

“We had a great day on the bars,” Reighard said. “Every performer lived up to their expectations and we had great performances tonight.”

Burtinsky placed fourth on the vault with a score of 9.725 and first on the all-around with a score of 39.25.

She was also awarded the MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year.

CMU had to compete without senior Kara Reighard, who won the last two all-around MAC championships. She sat out with a knee injury.

“Competing without Kara was the most difficult part of today’s competition,” Jerry Reighard said. “She is a real inspiration and leader on the floor, but she was tonight as well. We had three days to replace her and it didn’t work out as we had planned.”