Gymnastics look to continue 23-game MAC win streak hosting Ball State Saturday
The Central Michigan gymnastics team looks to continue the streak of domination over Mid-American Conference teams at 1 p.m. Saturday at McGuirk Arena against Ball State.
With 23-straight MAC wins, head coach Jerry Reighard and his team are looking to continue the streak.
“We are here to do just that, we want to control the conference as our number-one goal,” Reighard said.
Senior Kristin Teubner and sophomore Brittany Petzold will need to perform well to keep the streak alive.
They both contributed early this season with Teubner scoring a 9.825 on the floor against Bowling Green, while Petzold scored a 9.8 on the bars.
“There is a great deal of pressure on them, they are almost our sole returners,” Reighard said. “They will feel the weight of the team, especially this weekend.”
Reighard has the team working on becoming a balanced team, something he is always striving for his teams.
“It’s still very early in the season but, we’ve been good on bars. I’ve been very pleased with our performance on the balance beam,” he said. “Just like in other sports, the team has to be complete in all phases. A football team can’t just be a third quarter team and win.
"We just can’t be a one-event team. Being good on one event won’t carry a team to victory.”
Kylie Fagan won MAC specialist of the week after posting a 9.7 on the bars and 9.75 on the balance beam.
CMU will be competing against tMAC gymnast of the week, Ball State senior Kayla Kmiecik.
Kmiecik posted a career high 9.8 on the floor, and 9.625’s on the bars and balance beam in the Cardinals first victory of the season over Illinois State.
Reighard would like to see one of his all-around members get a 39 overall score. It hasn’t happened yet this season, but it’s something that Reighard wants his team to focus on at this meet.
“I’d like one of our athletes to hit 39 as a totaled score for their events,” Reighard said. “I think Teubner, Petzold and Druien all have the ability to hit 39. That’s something that has to happen at this meet, one or even all of them hit 39.”
