Women's Gymnastics | January 24
DeKALB, Ill. – Kiera O'Shea tied for the win on vault as the Northern Illinois University gymnastics team hosted the Illinois State Redbirds on the Huskies senior day meet.
NIU honored their four seniors,
Alana Anderson (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West),
Natalia Kraus (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport),
Isabella Sissi (Blaine, Minn./Mounds View) and
Ellery Werner (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) after the meet.
"It was a great fitting honor for our seniors tonight," interim head coach Nita Teague said. "We didn't totally perform how we wanted to but there was a lot of support for our seniors and respect for all they have given the team."
NIU fell to Illinois State by a score of 196,150 to 192.275.
Kiera O'Shea (Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood) scored a 9.850 on vault to tie for the meet win in the event. That marked the second time this season the 2024 NCAA Regional qualifier has scored at least a 9.825 in three attempts on the vault this season.
"She did another super strong vault like she did last week, so she is starting to string together some nice vaults," Teague said. "She also stepped up and had a very good floor routine to close the meet. I am hoping to see more of that in the future."
The Huskies opened the meet scoring an impressive 48.825 on vault. All six Huskies scored at least 9,700 on vault.
Jocelyn Harbeck (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way-East) added a 9.775. Freshman
Audrey Brenner (Fon du Lac, Wis./Fon du Lac) scored a 9.750.
Drake White (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) and
Dawsyn Sallee (Versailles, Ky./Woodford County) scored a 9.725. Sissi scored a 9.700. NIU earned 48.825 on the event.
O'Shea led NIU on bars with a 9.600, Sissi added a 9.425. NIU lost ground to the Redbirds who scored a 49.000 as the Huskies posted a 46.125.
Samantha Nickle led off on beam with a 9.700.
Dawsyn Sallee followed that with a team high score of 9.775,
Mikayla Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) also scored a 9.775 from the fourth position. O'Shea added a 9.725 as the Huskies posted a strong 48.550.
NIU scored a 48.775 overall on floor to close out the meet. White and Brown both scored 9.800 to lead the way for NIU on floor.
Isabella Ross (Cary, N.C./Green Level) added a 9.725.
"We had a really good vault line and a few very good performances on floor in the meet tonight," Teague said.
The Huskies will travel to Normal, Ill. for their next meet as they will once again compete against Illinois State in a dual. The dual meet is set for a 6 p.m. start on Tuesday, Jan. 28..
-- NIU --
