Women's Gymnastics | March 6

DeKALB, Ill. – The consistency of the Northern Illinois University gymnastics team was once again on display as the Huskies hit routine after routine in a 195.725-191.300 victory over Illinois State Friday night in the NIU Convocation Center's Victor E. Court.
 
With its 195.725, NIU has now recorded three of its top 10 team scores all-time in 2020 as Friday's score tied for eighth in the record book.  The Huskies improved to 5-6 on the season and are 4-2 in the MAC entering the regular season finale next weekend at Bowling Green.
 
"We are continuing to be who we are and building off of each meet and close out the season as strong as we can," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale.  "If we can stay in the high 195s, that's where we want to be. I feel super good about how we did tonight."
 
NIU capped off a solid meet across the board with a season-high score of 49.225 on floor exercise, led by senior Amanda Bartemio's 9.875 mark, good for first place on the event.  The Huskies also got a trio of 9.850 routines on floor from sophomores Morgan Hooper and Tara Kofmehl, and senior Allison Richardson to tie its 10^th best team floor score.
 
The Huskies opened the meet on vault with its third score of 49 or higher on that event this season, a mark NIU had only hit four times in school history entering the year.  Senior Cinny Lamberti and junior Gabby Welch tied for first with scores of 9.825, while Bartemio and Kofmehl each scored 9.800 as NIU gymnasts took the top five spots on vault.
 
Hooper, Bartemio and freshman Natalie Hamp led NIU on uneven parallel bars with Hooper earning a season-best 9.875 to win the event.  Bartemio and Hamp tied for third as the Huskies took a commanding lead on Illinois State after the first two events with a 48.825 on bars.  
 
"Morgan [Hooper] probably had her best day as far as the three events," Morreale said.  "She's right there on vault too, but we're just deep there.  If she can do what she did on those events each and every time, we're going to be in a really good place.  She's really starting to shine on floor."
 
On balance beam, juniors Zoie Schroeder (9.800) and Mia Lord (9.775) paced NIU. The Huskies had 13 scores of 9.800 or better during the meet.
 
"Down the stretch, consistency is what we're chasing," Morreale said.  "We're doing a good job of not forcing our gymnastics, just performing our gymnastics, and it's working really well."
 
NIU closes out the regular season at Bowling Green next Saturday before defending their MAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, March 21^st in Kalamazoo.
 
-- NIU --