Final Stats

NIU-KSU Results 

KENT, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University women’s gymnastics team posted a 193.900 in its tri-meet at Kent State in the M.A.C. Center Sunday afternoon.

“We had a great start on bars,” said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. “We had six sticks on our landings on bars. The energy was great and we were flying high, leading the meet at the time.”

NIU’s (1-5, 0-3) uneven parallel bars team started the meet off strong for the Huskies, posting a season-best 49.075, which ranks third all-time in NIU’s record book. Senior Lauren Africano (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais Community) led the way, scoring a career best 9.875. Africano finished in third and was the highest-placing Huskie on the day.

“We have a very competitive bar line up, inside the line up,” he said. “I think that helps them. They push each other.”

Africano was one four Huskies to post 9.800 or higher on bars. Jamyra Carter (Ypsilanti, Mich./Huron) and Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) each scored a 9.825, which tied a career high for Potts. Natalie Amadio (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) tied her career best with a 9.800.

Unfortunately, any momentum the Huskies had following bars was lost in their next event, the beam. NIU, still striving to translate strong routines in practice to competition, scored a 47.825 on the event.

“We got cautious, really checky and we were giving away tenths here and there,” Morreale said. “Those tenths add up to five tenths and now you’re at a 9.500.”

Freshman Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) led a floor team that while it didn’t perform as well as it could have, continues to be NIU’s second best events so far this season. The Huskie floor squared posted a 48.650 for the second week in a row with Martucci scoring a 9.825.

NIU wrapped up the meet on vault where it scored a 48.350. Megan Greenfield (Crystal lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) and Potts led the Huskies with each scoring a 9.750.

No. 17 George Washington finished in first with a 196.075, edging out the host Golden Flashes, 196.050.

“A 193.900 a year or two ago this time I would’ve been ecstatic,” he said. “I just feel we’re a better, deeper, stronger, more talented team. I expect more. We’re not going to panic. We just have to get back to work. We’re still waiting for that great meet. We just have to decide which team we want to be and be it because we can.”

NIU returns to action Friday when the Huskies travel to Chicago to face Central Michigan, Temple and Alaska at the IGI Chicago Style Meet. The meet starts at 7 p.m. CT.

-NIU-