Women's Gymnastics | March 5

NORMAL, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team tied for second with Illinois State University in the Illinois Classic, Sunday afternoon. The Huskies' 193.550 team score beat the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames (193.525), but came up short against the University of Illinois (196.150).
 
"This is really tough for us," said NIU head coach Morreale. "We feel like we are a better team, and we're not showing our true potential. On floor today we were tight and uncharacteristically giving things away. I thought vault did a pretty well. We ran into some pretty tight scores, but it is what it is. We got back at it on bars, and for whatever reason, we just can't figure beam out in competition."
 
The uneven parallel bars squad had another great showing with two Huskies scoring 9.900 in seniors Jamyra Carter (Ypsilanti, Mich./Huron) and Courtney Dowdell (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South). Dowdell tied her career high and Carter recorded her fourth career 9.900 to add their names in the record book.
 
The junior all-around competitors added to the bars total score with a 9.800 from Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and a 9.750 from Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli). The Huskies rounded out the team bars score at 48.975 improving from the week before.
 
"Jamyra is just hitting it every week, and Courtney is starting to hit her stride," said Morreale of the seniors. "It was a great score for Court as far as her regional qualifying average. The two all-around competitors helped themselves out today. On bars, we train a certain way, get to the meet and hit routines like we do in practice. For some reason on the other three events, we just press and try different things."
 
In the first event of the afternoon, sophomore Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) closed her floor routine with a 9.800. Freshman Amanda Bartemio (Plymouth, Minn./Waysata) and senior Brittany Wenzel (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) tied with scores of 9.775, and both all-around competitors recorded 9.750 on floor to earn a team 48.850.
 
The Huskies were up second on vault earning a team score of 48.475. Bartemio and senior Andie Van Voorhis (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard) started and ended the Huskies' vault run, respectively, each earning 9.750.
 
With tough breaks, NIU finished on the balance beam with senior Taylor Crumley (Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) leading the squad with a 9.725 and Potts following with a 9.675.
 
"We're going to build off this, and we are going to be better," said Morreale. "Next week we have a chance at being regular season MAC Champions at Central Michigan. The week after next we have MAC Championships. If we can put together these next two meets, our team regional dream is still attainable. If not, we still have a lot of individuals lined up to go to regionals. We just have to put this one behind us, get a good week of training in and put our two best meets out there."
 
The Huskies finish off the regular season next Saturday, March 11 at Central Michigan. The competition begins at 1 p.m. CST.
 
-NIU-