No. 12 CMU Gymnasts Prepare for Big Home Meet

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March 7, 2005

MOUNT PLEASANT--When does a loss not hurt so much?

When you post a 195.700 and move from 16th in the country to 12th. That's when!

The Central Michigan University women's gymnastics team followed that exact scenario this past weekend when it went 1-1 at the University of Kentucky. The Wildcats won the event with a 196.025 while CMU posted a 195.700 to whip Michigan State's 193.975.

"Kentucky had many career bests in one meet, so its gymnasts had a great meet," said CMU head coach Jerry Reighard. "But, our team performed very well, and whenever you can move up like we did, that's great.

"I've told our team that this is the time of the season when everyone's tired. The team that keeps on improving and competing, will jump up in the national rankings like we did last week. Our team really looked good at Kentucky and easily could have finished with a much higher score."

The Chippewas will have little time to rest on their laurels as they host another ranked team this Saturday when No. 16 Brigham Young comes to Rose Arena at 2 p.m.

"This is a huge meet," said Reighard. "We're at home and facing a ranked team that has reached the NCAA finals at least three times.

"I have great respect for that coaching staff and I know it'll have them ready to come in here to take care of business because of what's on the line. We have to be ready ourselves for a great meet."

CMU enters the week with an 11-5 record. The Chippewas will close the 2005 Mid-American Conference slate with a home meet on March 20 against Northern Illinois. CMU will put its 5-0 MAC mark on the line in that match at 2 p.m.

LAST WEEK

Central Michigan University finished second at the University of Kentucky Friday night in a triple dual meet.

Host Kentucky won the meet with a score of 196.025 while the Chippewas were at 195.700 and Michigan State finished third at 193.975.

CMU's senior duo of Kara Reighard and Sara Burtinsky took two-three in the all-around. Reighard posted a 39.325 while Burtinsky was at 39.200.

Junior Mattie Crawford won the vault for the Chippewas, posting a 9.90, while Sheena Smith and Reighard checked in with 9.825 scores.

"That was a great vault for Mattie," Reighard said of Crawford's career-best-matching performance.

Burtinsky tied for first on the beam with a 9.875 score with sophomor

e Julie Ann Passy and Reighard tallying 9.80 scores for CMU. Reighard paced the way on the floor with a 9.875 mark followed by freshman Rhiannon Banda-Scott at 9.80.

Burtinsky led the way on the bars with a 9.85 and Reighard had a 9.825.

Senior Lauren McLaren posted a season-high on the bars with a 9.800 and junior Stephanie Langley had her season-high on the vault at 9.725. Passy, competing on the floor for the first time this season, had a 9.675.

CMU's score of 195.700 was its third best of the season behind the mark

of 196.050 at Kent State and a 195.925 at home against Stanford.

The Chippewas will gun for their third straight MAC Championship on March 25 at Northern Illinois. CMU has won 10 MAC titles since 1990.