Gymnastics second half comeback falls short for first loss of the season
Gymnastics suffered its first loss of the year to rival Kent State by the smallest margin possible in gymnastics scoring.
The Chippewas scored fourth best in school history on beam in an attempted comeback that ultimately fell short, losing by .025 points.
“I talked to some of the alumni and they said what a great comeback (it almost was), but comebacks end in victories, not defeats,” said gymnastics head Jerry Reighard.
CMU scored fourth best in school history on beam with a 49.3. Senior co-captain Emily Heinz alongside juniors Becca Druien and Taylor Noonan scored 9.875.
The meet was a matchup between the best two teams in the Mid-American Conference and the long-awaited rematch of Case versus senior co-captain Brittany Petzold.
Case beat Petzold in the all-around 39.475 to 39.200, and as has become somewhat standard, her high scores meant a Kent State victory. Petzold scored higher in the vault and beam, with Case taking the bars and floor exercise.
With the win, Kent State becomes the favorite to win the MAC regular-season title this year.
After Case finished her all-around routine with a 9.925, the meet came down to junior Halle Moraw. Moraw earned a 9.9 in the floor exercise, unable to pick up the fraction of a point needed to avoid their first loss.
“We had a very electrifying climate in the arena and I thought that was exactly what we needed,” Reighard said.
CMU packed the second most fans they have had all year in McGuirk Arena with 754 on alumni night. The fans rallied behind the Chippewas at the moment they started beam, for every Kent State chant, the CMU fans would counter louder.
Gymnastics will have a chance at redemption Sunday against Illinois in Champaign, Ill.
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