Gymnasts host defending MAC champion Kent State
The CMU gymnastics team circled Saturday on its calendars since the schedule was released.
Defending Mid-American Conference champion Kent State visits Rose Arena at 2 p.m. Saturday in what is shaping to be a battle for first place in the conference.
“It’s been ‘the’ gymnastics rivalry in the Mid-American conference,” said coach Jerry Reighard. “We know the championship rides on the dual meet.”
Finishing either first or second in 11 of the past 13 seasons, CMU (7-1, 3-0 MAC) and Kent State have often been in close competition for the championship.
Leading the all-time head-to-head with a record of 29-23, the Chippewas rank either first or second in every event but one in the MAC standings. They rank first in vault (49.2) and balance beam (48.775), and second in the floor and bars.
The vault is led by senior Katie Simon, sophomore Kristin Teubner and freshman Britney Taylor, who lead the conference with a score of 9.875.
Last week, the team won the State of Michigan Classic for the first time since 1999 with a 194.975. Teubner said the team’s goals are much higher, however.
“Our goals are to really build to what happened last weekend and, if we can improve by a point, we would hit our 196 mark,” she said.
Last year alone, the team faced Kent State three times, losing twice in the regular season and finishing in second the MAC Championships. The goal from the beginning of the year has been to beat Kent State, and Reighard said his team is prepared for the task ahead of them.
“We are where we need to be to compete against Kent State,” he said, “(We) have to be above average.”
Consistency
CMU looks to remain consistent in the vault and uneven bar routines after posting a 48.875 and 48.475, respectively.
“Hopefully, I can get above a 9.75 on each event,” Taylor said. “I am expecting it to be loud, and I just have to block out everything.”
Taylor scored a 9.8 on the balance beam and the floor exercise in the State of Michigan Classic.
CMU has beat No. 21 Michigan State and finished in second place to No. 14 ranked Denver.
Comparatively, Kent State posted its league-leading scores against Eastern Michigan, which Central beat by 3.725 points last weekend.
Kent State is led by junior Christina Lenny, second in the conference in the all-around category with a 39.2.
Lenny qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season in that category behind a Kent State team that averages 193.344 points per meet. Sophomore Erin Rothrock ranks first in the league on the uneven bars with a high of 9.925.
