Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
MAC Championships
Second-Place Strikes Again For Gymnasts At MAC Championships
3/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
March 23, 2002
Muncie, Ind.??The Central Michigan University gymnastics team tasted bittersweetness as Kara Reighard (Mt. Pleasant/Fr.) took first in the all-around but the team finished second at the Mid-American Conference Championships on Saturday afternoon.
The Chippewas just couldn't get it done for the second-straight year at the MAC finals. CMU posted a 4-2 mark this season to take a second-place in the conference. The Chippewas were outperformed in the tournament as well to receive a second-place (194.975) finish at the championships.
The Ball State Cardinals won their first MAC Championship title.
Ball State finished fourth in the conference and posted a 195.375 on home turf for the win. The score was only the third time BSU scored over 195 this season.
Reighard tied the school record in the all-around with a 39.425. She tied for third on vault (9.850), tied for second on bars (9.875), tied for second on beam (9.825) and tied for seventh on floor (9.875).
Freshman Shanna Duggan (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) won the vault with a season-best 9.90. She also tied for second on beam (9.825) with Reighard.
Senior Bethany Couturier (Grand Rapids) claimed first on the beam with a 9.875.
Michele Orloski (Clifton Park, N.Y./Jr.) tied for first on the floor exercise with a 9.90. Orloski posted four 9.9's this season on the floor.
Finishing out the tournament was Kent State (194.875), Eastern Michigan (194.100), Bowling Green (193.075), Western Michigan (192.125) and Northern Illinois (190.875).
Note: If CMU remains in the top six of the region after today's competition, the team will head to Louisiana State on April 6 for regional competition.
