Women's Gymnastics | January 15
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team (3-1, 1-1) saw its first loss of the season, Sunday, against Ball State (1-2, 1-0) with marginal scores, 194.175-193.575.
NIU was ahead throughout the competition leading up to the last event, but unfortunately were not able to produce the scores they hoped for on the balance beam.
"We did a good job building off last week, and trying to get that going again," said NIU head coach
Sam Morreale. "We had a solid three events going into the last event, and just were uncharacteristic on beam. They looked a little cautious, and when you're that way on beam, that's when you tend to bobble and fall, and today that's what happened."
The Huskies matched their team uneven parallel bars score from last week at 48.925 in the first event of the afternoon, then went on to produce a season high 48.700 on vault, and a favorable score of 48.650 on floor.
NIU's two all-around competitors,
Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and
Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli), turned out solid scores. Potts took second all-around with a total score of 38.925 and setting her season high on vault at 9.775, while Prentice took third all-around and set her season high bars score at 9.700.
"Our two all-arounders stepped up again,
Ashley Potts and
Katherine Prentice, both with solid scores right under 39. I thought Andie did a great job on her two events today. Courtney came in again today with a solid production. We actually had a pretty good day, fighting to claw along the way, and then, beam just slipped away from us."
On vault,
Andie Van Voorhis (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard) earned a 9.825, while
Courtney Dowdell (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) impressed for the second week on bars to tie her career best, 9.850. Potts and specialist
Jamyra Carter (Ypsilanti, Mich./Huron) also produced favorable bars scores, both earning 9.800.
The Huskies are on the road again next Saturday, January 21 to compete at Oregon State (Corvallis, Ore.) before returning to NIU for two consecutive home meets.
-NIU-
