Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, January 24
Muncie, Ind.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
195.050
at
192.700
Ball State
Eagles Continue Success on the Road in Victory at Ball State
1/24/2016 5:22:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Green and White set a new beam record en route to a pair of wins
Complete Results
Eagles Results (*denotes career high, # denotes program record)
Vault 48.500
Rachel Slocum 9.90*
Kendall Valentin 9.80
Sydney McEachern 9.675
Julia Schwartz 9.575
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.550
Catie Conrad 9.125
Bars 48.800
Catie Conrad 9.80
Natalie Gervais 9.775*
Kendall Valentin 9.775
Sydney McEachern 9.725
Lacey Rubin 9.725
Kirsten Gendron 9.70
Beam 49.150#
Lacey Rubin 9.875*
Catie Conrad 9.850
Megan Hultgren 9.825*
Kendall Valentin 9.825
Rachel Slocum 9.775*
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.675
Floor 48.60
Rachel Slocum 9.850
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.775
Sydney McEachern 9.750
Kendall Valentin 9.625
Catie Conrad 9.60
Kirsten Gendron 9.60
All-Around
Kendall Valentin 39.025
Catie Conrad 38.375
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Behind a new program record on the beam, the No. 21 ranked Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team walked away with a pair of victories in a tri meet hosted by Ball State, Jan. 24. The Eagles, finishing with a team total of 195.050 for the second straight week, totaled a 49.15 on beam, besting the previous team record set at the 2001 Mid-American Conference Championships.
"I can split this meet into two halves; I am very proud of how we started the first two events," remarked head coach Jay Santos. "We came out on bars and looked great, and that group set the pace early. We then moved to beam and they were even better- setting a new beam record. For two events, they looked very confident and were aggressive and making adjustments where needed. The last two events were the opposite, and we got a little rattled and started making small mistakes. The momentum really started to shift on floor, and then carried to vault, where we had a season low for us. We had an opportunity to get a strong road score today and missed it. We're going to need to work on finishing meets and taking advantage of those opportunities."
"Individually, we had multiple exciting performances today," said Santos. "Rachel was awesome today; she went 3 for 3 and recorded two career highs. Her vault was the best I think I have ever seen her do and she was great on beam, especially given that it was her first collegiate routine on that event. Lacey did a fantastic beam to set a career high. Kendall did another great job in the all-around for us. She crunched her ankle right at the end of warm-ups and we were really unsure if she would be able to do anything today, but she did a tremendous job of collecting herself; blocking out everything and delivering a gutsy performance going 4 for 4."
Beginning the meet on bars, the Eagles came out hot, sticking their first two dismounts. Junior Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) led the way, getting the ball rolling with her stuck double back dismount and finishing with a 9.725. Sophomore Kirsten Gendron (Birchc Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) then mirrored McEachern, also sticking her dismount and receiving a 9.70. The Green and White stayed consistent throughout the event, as sophomores Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) and Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) closed the event strong with scores of 9.775 and 9.80, respectively. With one event in the books, EMU sat in first with a team score of 48.800.
Moving to beam, the Eagles showed why they are the No. 11 ranked team in the country on the event. The Green and White displayed consistency and poise throughout the rotation, as senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. – Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) set a new career high with a beautiful routine, ultimately receiving a 9.875. Three other Eagles finished with scores above 9.8, including Conrad and Valentin with scores of 9.85 and 9.825, respectively. Freshman Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) notched a new career high, earning a 9.825 after her strong routine. With all beam scores tallied, the Green and White came out with a 49.150, shattering the previous program record.
On floor, sophomore Rachel Slocum (Holly Springs, N.C. – Holly Springs) paced the Green and White yet again, notching a score of 9.85. Senior Kimberly Ebeyer (Greenwood, Ind. – Whiteland Community) had a great routine as well, highlighted by multiple twisting elements, finishing with a 9.775. McEachern's strong tumbling was also on display, as the junior earned a 9.75. Hitting six-for-six yet again, Eastern finished floor with a team total of 48.550.
Slocum stole the show on vault, nailing her handspring front pike half for a 9.90. Her score was a new career best, and sits near the top of the EMU record book. Valentin continued her consistent meet, notching a 9.80 for her yurchenko full. McEachern rounded out the top-three for EMU, earning a 9.675 for her vault. With an event total of 48.500, the Eagles finished the day with a team score of 195.050 to walk away with victories over Ball State and Illinois State.
The Green and White will now head home for back-to-back home meets, with the Eagles taking on Northern Illinois, Jan. 30, at 4 p.m, as part of the Beauty and the Beast event. The following week, EMU welcomes Central Michigan, Friday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m.
"I can split this meet into two halves; I am very proud of how we started the first two events," remarked head coach Jay Santos. "We came out on bars and looked great, and that group set the pace early. We then moved to beam and they were even better- setting a new beam record. For two events, they looked very confident and were aggressive and making adjustments where needed. The last two events were the opposite, and we got a little rattled and started making small mistakes. The momentum really started to shift on floor, and then carried to vault, where we had a season low for us. We had an opportunity to get a strong road score today and missed it. We're going to need to work on finishing meets and taking advantage of those opportunities."
"Individually, we had multiple exciting performances today," said Santos. "Rachel was awesome today; she went 3 for 3 and recorded two career highs. Her vault was the best I think I have ever seen her do and she was great on beam, especially given that it was her first collegiate routine on that event. Lacey did a fantastic beam to set a career high. Kendall did another great job in the all-around for us. She crunched her ankle right at the end of warm-ups and we were really unsure if she would be able to do anything today, but she did a tremendous job of collecting herself; blocking out everything and delivering a gutsy performance going 4 for 4."
Beginning the meet on bars, the Eagles came out hot, sticking their first two dismounts. Junior Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) led the way, getting the ball rolling with her stuck double back dismount and finishing with a 9.725. Sophomore Kirsten Gendron (Birchc Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) then mirrored McEachern, also sticking her dismount and receiving a 9.70. The Green and White stayed consistent throughout the event, as sophomores Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) and Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) closed the event strong with scores of 9.775 and 9.80, respectively. With one event in the books, EMU sat in first with a team score of 48.800.
Moving to beam, the Eagles showed why they are the No. 11 ranked team in the country on the event. The Green and White displayed consistency and poise throughout the rotation, as senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. – Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) set a new career high with a beautiful routine, ultimately receiving a 9.875. Three other Eagles finished with scores above 9.8, including Conrad and Valentin with scores of 9.85 and 9.825, respectively. Freshman Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) notched a new career high, earning a 9.825 after her strong routine. With all beam scores tallied, the Green and White came out with a 49.150, shattering the previous program record.
On floor, sophomore Rachel Slocum (Holly Springs, N.C. – Holly Springs) paced the Green and White yet again, notching a score of 9.85. Senior Kimberly Ebeyer (Greenwood, Ind. – Whiteland Community) had a great routine as well, highlighted by multiple twisting elements, finishing with a 9.775. McEachern's strong tumbling was also on display, as the junior earned a 9.75. Hitting six-for-six yet again, Eastern finished floor with a team total of 48.550.
Slocum stole the show on vault, nailing her handspring front pike half for a 9.90. Her score was a new career best, and sits near the top of the EMU record book. Valentin continued her consistent meet, notching a 9.80 for her yurchenko full. McEachern rounded out the top-three for EMU, earning a 9.675 for her vault. With an event total of 48.500, the Eagles finished the day with a team score of 195.050 to walk away with victories over Ball State and Illinois State.
The Green and White will now head home for back-to-back home meets, with the Eagles taking on Northern Illinois, Jan. 30, at 4 p.m, as part of the Beauty and the Beast event. The following week, EMU welcomes Central Michigan, Friday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m.
Eagles Results (*denotes career high, # denotes program record)
Vault 48.500
Rachel Slocum 9.90*
Kendall Valentin 9.80
Sydney McEachern 9.675
Julia Schwartz 9.575
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.550
Catie Conrad 9.125
Bars 48.800
Catie Conrad 9.80
Natalie Gervais 9.775*
Kendall Valentin 9.775
Sydney McEachern 9.725
Lacey Rubin 9.725
Kirsten Gendron 9.70
Beam 49.150#
Lacey Rubin 9.875*
Catie Conrad 9.850
Megan Hultgren 9.825*
Kendall Valentin 9.825
Rachel Slocum 9.775*
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.675
Floor 48.60
Rachel Slocum 9.850
Kimberly Ebeyer 9.775
Sydney McEachern 9.750
Kendall Valentin 9.625
Catie Conrad 9.60
Kirsten Gendron 9.60
All-Around
Kendall Valentin 39.025
Catie Conrad 38.375
Players Mentioned
AA
/ Gymnastics
V, BB, FX
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
V,BB,FX
/ Gymnastics
AA
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