Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, January 20
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
195.925
at
194.650
Central Michigan
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Eagles Tie Program Record on Bars in Win at CMU
1/20/2017 9:54:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Green and White led from start to finish in the dual with Central
Complete Results
Photo Gallery
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team dominated in their first Mid-American Conference meet of the season, defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas on the road today, Jan. 20, by a final score of 195.925 – 194.650. Eastern led from start to finish, and tied the team record on bars with an incredible 49.225.
"What a great night for us as a team," remarked Head Coach Sarah Brown. "We hit all 24 routines and had some career-highs for individual athletes. I'm so proud of the energy and confidence this team showed tonight, and I know I keep saying it, but we have so much more room to grow."
The Eagles began with a bang, starting the meet on their best event so far this season, and matching the program record. Kicking things off was junior Julia Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz. – Mesquite), who got the meet started with a solid, hit routine, capped off by a stuck dismount. Seniors Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) and Natalie Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Sturgeon Heights) kept things moving with a pair of 9.775's. From there, fellow senior Lacey Rubin (Plainsview, N.Y. – Plainsview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) kicked things up a notch, performing her best routine of the year, scoring a huge 9.90 to match her career-best. Junior Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) also had an excellent set, posting a 9.85, but junior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) followed up last week's strong bars routine with an even better one. Sticking her dismount, the reigning MAC Specialist of the Week tied her career-best with a massive 9.925. With the first rotation completed, the Eagles held a 49.225 – 48.675 lead.
Moving to vault, the Eagles were incredibly consistent on their second event of the day, with all six competitors scoring between a 9.65 and a 9.80. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. – Alexander) began the event with the best vault of her career, scoring a personal-best 9.75, while Conrad matched her with a 9.75 of her own. Schwartz also had a solid vault, posting a 9.775, and Valentin paced the squad once again with a 9.80. Following the first two events of the day, the Eagles were out front by nearly one point, 98.000 – 97.025.
A whopping five Eagles finished with career-best scores on floor. Brooks led off the event, posting a personal-best 9.75, while freshman Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill. – Carl Sandburg) made her EMU debut, also scoring a 9.75. Moving down the line, sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio – Sylvania Northview) also notched a career-high, posting a strong 9.825. Junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) continued the trend, also scoring a personal-best 9.825, and junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio – Howland) capped things off with a career-best 9.825 of her own. With a 48.975 on floor, Eastern boosted their lead to 146.975 – 145.325 with just beam to go.
The Green and White concluded the day on beam, with sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) leading off with a hit routine, scoring a solid 9.75. Gervais also had a strong set, sticking her dismount and notching another 9.75. Similar to bars, Rubin had another incredible routine on beam, posting an excellent 9.875, which was just .025 behind her career-best. Valentin concluded her fantastic day, posting a 9.85, while Conrad wrapped up the meet with a 9.725. With an event total of 48.950, the Green and White tied the 10th-best beam total in program history. After tallying all the scores, EMU emerged victorious, totaling an excellent 195.925, which is the sixth-best team score in the EMU record books.
The Eagles will remain on the road next week, traveling west to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a showdown with Western Michigan, Sunday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m.
Photo Gallery
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team dominated in their first Mid-American Conference meet of the season, defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas on the road today, Jan. 20, by a final score of 195.925 – 194.650. Eastern led from start to finish, and tied the team record on bars with an incredible 49.225.
"What a great night for us as a team," remarked Head Coach Sarah Brown. "We hit all 24 routines and had some career-highs for individual athletes. I'm so proud of the energy and confidence this team showed tonight, and I know I keep saying it, but we have so much more room to grow."
The Eagles began with a bang, starting the meet on their best event so far this season, and matching the program record. Kicking things off was junior Julia Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz. – Mesquite), who got the meet started with a solid, hit routine, capped off by a stuck dismount. Seniors Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) and Natalie Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Sturgeon Heights) kept things moving with a pair of 9.775's. From there, fellow senior Lacey Rubin (Plainsview, N.Y. – Plainsview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) kicked things up a notch, performing her best routine of the year, scoring a huge 9.90 to match her career-best. Junior Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) also had an excellent set, posting a 9.85, but junior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) followed up last week's strong bars routine with an even better one. Sticking her dismount, the reigning MAC Specialist of the Week tied her career-best with a massive 9.925. With the first rotation completed, the Eagles held a 49.225 – 48.675 lead.
Moving to vault, the Eagles were incredibly consistent on their second event of the day, with all six competitors scoring between a 9.65 and a 9.80. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. – Alexander) began the event with the best vault of her career, scoring a personal-best 9.75, while Conrad matched her with a 9.75 of her own. Schwartz also had a solid vault, posting a 9.775, and Valentin paced the squad once again with a 9.80. Following the first two events of the day, the Eagles were out front by nearly one point, 98.000 – 97.025.
A whopping five Eagles finished with career-best scores on floor. Brooks led off the event, posting a personal-best 9.75, while freshman Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill. – Carl Sandburg) made her EMU debut, also scoring a 9.75. Moving down the line, sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio – Sylvania Northview) also notched a career-high, posting a strong 9.825. Junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) continued the trend, also scoring a personal-best 9.825, and junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio – Howland) capped things off with a career-best 9.825 of her own. With a 48.975 on floor, Eastern boosted their lead to 146.975 – 145.325 with just beam to go.
The Green and White concluded the day on beam, with sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) leading off with a hit routine, scoring a solid 9.75. Gervais also had a strong set, sticking her dismount and notching another 9.75. Similar to bars, Rubin had another incredible routine on beam, posting an excellent 9.875, which was just .025 behind her career-best. Valentin concluded her fantastic day, posting a 9.85, while Conrad wrapped up the meet with a 9.725. With an event total of 48.950, the Green and White tied the 10th-best beam total in program history. After tallying all the scores, EMU emerged victorious, totaling an excellent 195.925, which is the sixth-best team score in the EMU record books.
The Eagles will remain on the road next week, traveling west to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a showdown with Western Michigan, Sunday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m.
EMU Scores (* denotes a personal best, # denotes a program best)
Team – 195.925
Vault 48.775
2. Kendall Valentin 9.800
3. Julia Schwartz 9.775
5. Kelsie Brooks 9.750*
5. Catie Conrad 9.750
8. Sydney McEachern 9.700
10. Megan Hultgren 9.650
Bars 49.225#
1. Kendall Valentin 9.925*
2. Lacey Rubin 9.900*
3. Catie Conrad 9.850
4. Natalie Gervais 9.775
4. Sydney McEachern 9.775
9. Julia Schwartz 9.625
Beam 48.950
1. Lacey Rubin 9.875
2. Kendall Valentin 9.850
5. Natalie Gervais 9.750
5. Megan Hultgren 9.750
7. Catie Conrad 9.725
10. Julia Schwartz 9.525
Floor 48.975
3. Sydney Audet 9.825*
3. Kirsten Gendron 9.825*
3. Megan Marino 9.825*
9. Kelsie Brooks 9.750*
9. Emili Dobronics 9.750*
12. Sydney McEachern 9.725
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