Central Michigan University Athletics
#15 CMU Travels to Kentucky
2/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 28, 2005
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THIS WEEK
MOUNT PLEASANT-- After winning at Ball State on Friday, Central Michigan University women's gymnastics team will travel to Kentucky to compete in a meet against Kentucky and Michigan State this Friday.
The Chipppewas competed earlier in the season against MSU at the State of Michigan Classic. Michigan won the meet and CMU was third behind the Spartans.
The loss to MSU was CMU's first in five years to the Green and white.
The Chippewas competed against Kentucky two years ago and won.
The Wildcats are currently ranked 16th in the nation, and MSU is ranked 23rd.
Reighard feels this weekend's meet will be a fight to the last routine. "We have to be sharp on every event this weekend," said Reighard. "All three teams are fighting for the same goal. Each team wants to make it to the NCAA tournament."
CMU is ranked in the individual top 20 nationally in every event, while MSU has no individuals ranked in the top 20 and Kentucky has one.
Kentucky's Michelle Gales is tied for 18th on vault with a 9.875 regional qualifying score, a 9.847 average and a high score of 9.925.
The Chippewas fell from 14th to 15th in the nation following the win at Ball State.
Reighard dropped from second on floor to to a tie for fifth, and is also in a four-way tied for 18th on beam. Burtinsky rose from 20th in the all-around to 17th, but fell from fifth place on bars to seventh. CMU is currently ranked ninth on the floor, 14th on the beam, and 12th on the bars.
LAST WEEK
CMU defeated Ball State on Friday by the score of 195.225-191.825.
The Chippewas are now 10-3 overall, 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference.
Senior Kara Reighard led CMU by winning the all-around competition with a season-high score of 39.450. She swept all but one event, the beam in which she tied for first with Chippewa senior Sara Burtinsky (9.850). Reighard posted a season-high of 9.825 on the vault, tied a season-high of 9.875 on the bars and posted a 9.900 on the floor.
Coach Reighard said he was pleased with Kara `s performance.
"Kara was in a competitive zone against Ball State," said Reighard. "We added a new skill on the beam for her and she handled it well."
Besides tying for first on beam, Burtinsky also captured second in both the all-around (38.850) and on the vault (9.800).
CMU junior Mattie Crawford took second on the floor with a 9.825 and tied with sophomore Sheena Smith for third on vault with a 9.775.
Smith, who was battling the flu at the meet, also tied for second on bars with a 9.775.
Chippewa junior Stephanie Langley placed seventh and tied her season-high score on the vault with a 9.625. Langley started three events.
CMU sophomore Jules Passy took third on vault and posted a season-high score of 9.825 on the beam.
Though not her best performance this season, freshman Rhiannon Banda-Scott posted two 9.700s on the vault and the bars and scored a 9.675 on the floor.
"Rhiannon continues to compete as an upperclassman and her performance is consistent," said Reighard.
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