Gymnastics slides past NIU with lowest score in seven meets


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No. 16 Gymnastics improved to 11-2 with its victory over NIU, but managed to earn, their lowest score in seven meets.

Although the meet will go down as a victory on paper, the team took a step backwards in terms of team performance, with the score being the third-lowest of the season and the lowest since Jan. 17 against William and Mary.

The Chippewas had difficulty getting into a groove Sunday.

CMU scored a 49.1 on floor, arguably the team’s most consistent event. Since the team was on the road, they were forced to begin the meet on bars and end on beam. The home team starts on vault and ends on floor.

Junior Taylor Noonan came into the meet ranked ninth in the country on balance beam and was one of the lone bright spots, scoring another 9.9 on beam to secure the victory for CMU 194.675-194.025.

Sophomore Taylor Bolender scored a 9.9 on her floor routine and sophomore Kirsten Petzold performed well on vault, scoring a 9.85 and securing her spot as one of the Chippewas go-to vaulters along with junior Halle Moraw, who scored a 9.825.

Petzold was the only competing Chippewa that didn’t score a 9.75 or less Sunday.

The uneven bars proved challenging for both teams as the top score of the entire meet on bars was junior Kylie Fagan's 9.75.

CMU had issues against the Huskies throughout the meet, scoring a 48.525 on bars, a 48.875 on vault, a 49.1 on floor and a 48.175 on balance beam.

The team's premier all-arounder, and last year's Mid-American Conference All-Around Champion, Brittany Petzold, struggled along with junior all-arounder Becca Druien, with only one 9.8 or higher between the two.

The low score could hurt the Chippewas national ranking, which stands at No. 16 in the nation. A 194 is leagues below what head coach Jerry Reighard has been pushing for this season, who has consistently said he believes his team has the ability to score 197.

The team will travel to Livingston Gym next week to face Rutgers, Towson, Southern Connecticut and Yale.

CMU will have to score in the 195s or 196s to beat a Rutgers team Saturday in the top 30 nationally, who scored a 195.825 this weekend.

The Chippewas could not be reached for comment Sunday.

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Taylor DesOrmeau is a senior at Central Michigan University, majoring in integrative public relations ...

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