Women's Gymnastics | February 3
DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University Huskies (7-2, 2-1) continued their home winning streak against Bowling Green State University, Friday, with a season high score of 194.875. The Falcons finished with a total team score of 192.875.
"We had a great outing," said NIU head coach
Sam Morreale. "We came in with a relaxed attitude, a have fun with it attitude, and it really worked for us. There were a few mistakes here and there, but we overcame them. We stayed strong and finished to come away with a pretty good score.
"To get that score with a mistake, it is huge for us. It just shows the consistency on the other three events. On beam, we had some mistakes, but we still also had some really good scores. At this point, it is just a matter of ironing that out, but we're chasing those scores. It feels good."
The Huskies impressed the crowd setting season highs on vault (48.750), uneven parallel bars (49.000), and floor (49.200), but were unable to reach the season high on the balance beam (48.725) set at the very first meet. The Huskies earned a 47.925 on the event against the Falcons.
"At home to finish on floor, it's a strength for us," said Morreale. "They're comfortable there. They show their routines off really well. Anna has been knocking out of the park pretty much all year, but it's the ones ahead of her that set that up, starting with Brittany. Potts hits, Brittany hits. Then you have Kat hitting, then Courtney rocking it out.
"Courtney had a great meet today with her two events. Can't really argue with her. She had a little banged up ankle, so we rested her on vault, and she ended up season highing on the other two events. From week one, this is the team we are, we just have to keep bringing it on all four events."
All-arounder
Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) hit a season high and personal best all-around score of 39.175. She went 9.825 on vault, 9.625 on uneven bars, 9.850 on balance beam, and 9.875 on floor setting personal setting her vault record and tying her beam and floor records.
Four other Huskies including freshmen
Amanda Bartemio (Plymouth, Minn./Waysata) and
Cinny Lamberti (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake), sophomore
Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) and senior
Courtney Dowdell (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) set personal records as well. Bartemio tied her previous vault high of 9.725 and Lamberti tied her vault high of 9.675, while Dowdell improved her personal highs on uneven bars (9.900) and floor (9.850) Martucci set her floor high and the team's individual high score at 9.925.
Next week, the Huskies travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. to take on the Western Michigan Broncos for the second time this season. The competition will be held on Sunday, February 12 at 12 p.m. CST.
-NIU-
