DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team turned in strong performances on uneven parallel bars and floor exercise to defeat a short-handed Bowing Green team, 193.150-179.525, Sunday at the NIU Convocation Center.
 
With the win, NIU improved to 2-2 overall, 2-0 versus Mid-American Conference competition in 2021.
 
"We had a lot of high points today, but we're a team that's chasing something bigger," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "It's bittersweet to have two good events and two that are not where we want to be.  We have to be more consistent. We're seeing flashes of who we can be and even on the events where we were off, we saw some good things."
 
The Huskies posted a score of 48.875 on bars, the highest single event score of the season for the Huskies, and nearly matched it on floor exercise with a 48.825 for the team's best floor performance of the year. Sophomore Brookelyn Sears (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville HS) posted NIU's highest score on bars with a 9.850 to win the event while Natalie Hamp (Ionia, Mich./Ionia HS) scored a 9.800 to take second. 
 
All-arounder Tara Kofmehl earned the highest score of the day on the meet's final routine with a 9.875 on floor exercise. In addition to the floor win, she earned the all-around title with a 38.400. Senior Gabby Welch took second on both vault and floor exercise with scores of 9.775 and tied for fourth on bars with a 9.725.
 
"It was nice to see us step up and be who we are on bars and put a run of routines together," Morreale said. "Same on floor, I think we tumbled and landed and were cleaner than we've been all year."
    
Kofmehl and Morgan Hooper joined Welch as NIU's top scorers on vault (9.775), while Mia Lord won balance beam with a 9.725 mark, followed by Kofmehl's 9.700.
 
After competing in three meets in its first two weeks, the Huskies are idle next week before returning to action on Thursday, February 11 at Central Michigan.
 
-- NIU --