MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – After a week of training between meets, the Northern Illinois University gymnastics team saw improvement as they scored 193.575 and placed third in the quad-meet hosted by Minnesota on Saturday at the Maturi Pavillion.
 
The Gophers won the meet with a final all-around score of 194.200, ahead of No. 20 Maryland, who finished the meet with 194.025. The Huskies came out with their first win of the season against Division II Winona State.
 
"I'm super pleased with how we performed today," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "We definitely had improvement on all four events. Even just the way we carried ourselves from opening of warmups all the way through performing on each event, we just looked like the team we've been seeing in practice, so we were very happy about that."
 
NIU seemed more comfortable on the uneven parallel bars this weekend as the team collectively earned 48.700 on its last event of the day. Senior all-around competitor Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) tied her routine score from the previous meet, earning a 9.825. Senior Aubrie Purtell (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) made her debut on the lineup, recording a 9.725 to assist in the Huskies' high score of the season. Freshman Gabby Welch (Greenbrier, Tenn./Aaron Academy [Home School]) bounced back after a fall on bars in the previous meet score another 9.725 for the team.  
 
The Huskies began the afternoon on the balance beam where they also improved to a collective 48.200. Senior specialist Andie Van Voorhis (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard) started NIU on the right foot, putting up a 9.725, while Potts and junior captain Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) each earned 9.700 scores.
 
"The beam squad had a couple of little mistakes in there, but that was the beam squad that we're used to watching each day in practice. Andie [Van Voorhis] did a great job leading off with a 9.725. Scores were earned on beam and floor for sure. It was tough to get scores. They had to work really hard to get the scores that they got, but we took some huge strides forward and were basically in the meet the whole day."
 
Another bounce back for the Huskies came on vault as Potts scored a 9.775 and sophomore Cinny Lamberti (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake) posted a 9.750. The Huskies 48.425 on vault was rounded out by two 9.700 scores from Welch and Minnesota native Amanda Bartemio (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) as well as a 9.500 from junior Paige Nicholas (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran West).
 
Sophomore Allison Richardson started the floor lineup for NIU with a 9.750 to mark her best routine so far this season, and Martucci finished the NIU lineup with a 9.675. The uncharacteristic run on floor for the Huskies was evident as the team posted a 48.250 on the event.
 
The Huskies see their first MAC competition on Friday, January 19, as they head to Kent, Ohio to take on the Golden Flashes at 6 p.m. CDT.
 
-NIU-