NORMAL, Illinois – The Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team earned its highest score of the season with solid performances across all four events to defeat Illinois State, 195.075-194.275 Friday night in Normal.
 
Huskie gymnasts took first place on three of four events and eight of NIU's 24 routines achieved either a season or career high score.
 
"This is the team we can be," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "It was good to get that first 195 to prove that we can get there and build our belief. This was a step in the right direction, but we're still scratching the surface of what we know we can be."
 
NIU started on uneven parallel bars with junior Alyssa Al-Ashari and senior Natalie Hamp closing out the rotation with scores of 9.875 and 9.900, respectively. Hamp's 9.900 tied her season high to win the event, while Al-Ashari took second. Senior Ciara Ryan added a career high 9.625 to NIU's team score of 48.725.
 
Junior Isabelle West took the vault title with a season high 9.775, while Ryan and freshman Kiera O'Shea earned marks of 9.750 to tie for second with Ryan recording her second season best mark on the night. The Huskies' 48.475 team score on vault helped them to a 97.200-97.000 led after two rotations.
 
"We had a great start on bars," Morreale said. "After that first routine everyone got the job done. Alyssa's routine was great, and Natalie did what she does. I thought we vaulted better, we just struggled a little bit on the landings but it was great to see Isabelle [West], Kiera [O'Shea] and Ciara [Ryan] take first and second."
 
Jacklyn Dolitsky and Alana Anderson led the Huskies' efforts on floor exercise as NIU tied its season high
team score on floor with a 48.875. Dolitsky's 9.800 was a career high for the senior, who tied for fourth. Junior Olivia Lynd contributed a season high 9.750. NIU extended its lead to .875 points going into the final event, balance beam.
 
The beam team came through in a big way, posting a 49.000, its highest score of the season, with leadoff gymnast Kendall George starting the rotation with a career best 9.850 to tie for first place. Al-Ashari earned a 9.825 to finish third while Isabella Sissi's 9.800 was good for fourth. Ellery Werner added a season-high 9.775.
 
"We were good on floor and did really well on beam, that's where we won the meet," Morreale said. "No falls and to start off with Kenny [George] going 9.850, that was super cool. The good thing about a double weekend is we can take what we did tonight right into the next meet [on Sunday]," Morreale said. "At this point in season it's about competition, getting in front of people and performing under pressure. We're still waiting to hit on all cylinders."  
 
NIU is back in action in the NIU Convocation Center on Sunday at 2 p.m. versus both Illinois State and Winona State. The meet will air on ESPN+. Admission is free.
 
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