Women's Gymnastics | January 28

DeKALB, Ill. – Senior captain Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) tied the sixth-highest all-around score in school history at the Northern Illinois University Huskies' "Beauty and the Beast" competition against Central Michigan on Sunday with a final score of 39.350.
 
The Huskies came up short against the Chippewas scoring 194.950 to CMU's 195.650. NIU was able to outscore its opponents on the uneven parallel bars with 48.950 and tied them on floor with 49.025, but fell short on vault and beam with team scores of 48.400 and 48.575, respectively.
 
"It was a really great meet, great atmosphere," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "We came up on the short end of the stick, but we did well. We definitely built on some of the things we did last week, and that's what we were looking to do. Started the meet a little tense on vault, and it showed in our landings. It was our first time with our full vault crew, so we're only going to get better there. If we can get down our landings, not only on vault but on beam and floor, were are going to be right where we want to be."
 
Potts earned her career high balance beam score of 9.900 to be the first Huskie to make her way onto the overall beam top-10 list since Megan Melendez hit the same score in 2014 against CMU. To round out her all-around score, she posted a 9.800 on vault to begin the afternoon, went to bars next earning a 9.875 and finished on floor with a 9.775.
 
"I can't say enough about Potts," said Morreale. "She's just amazing at what she does. Things are easy for her. She's really settling in this year. Honestly, she did this stuff last year, it just took her a little longer to get here. She just looks very comfortable. She works her butt off every day, so it's really good to see."
 
Senior Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) hit her career mark on bars, recording a 9.900 to etch her name in the record book, tied for seventh. Sunday was Prentice's first meet competing as an all-arounder this season, where she earned second place with 38.975. Prentice went 9.550 on vault, 9.675 on beam and 9.850 on floor.
 
"Kat just keeps getting better and better," said Morreale. "Her all-around score was pretty decent. On floor, you always worry with an athlete going from three to four events, how comfortable they're going to be. She's just another one that is working hard all the time. Her and Potts both want to make their senior seasons special."
 
Five more Huskies hit career highs including Amanda Bartemio (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) on bars with a 9.775, Cinny Lamberti (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake) on beam with a 9.650, Nina Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) with an exhibition performance on bars earning a 9.775, Allison Richardson (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) on floor with a 9.825 and Gabby Welch with an exhibition performance on floor earning a 9.250. Welch also tied her personal best bars score of 9.725, and Paige Nicholas (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran West) tied her personal best on floor with a 9.750.
 
Freshman Mia Lord (McCordsville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) made her debut as an exhibitionist on beam, where she earned a 9.675.
 
The Huskies head to Iowa State on Friday as they compete in a tri-meet with the host school and West Virginia. The Competition will begin at 6:30 p.m.
 
-NIU-