Central Michigan University
Illinois State with UIC/Eastern Michigan
Chippewa Gymnasts Second at Challenge
1/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
By Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
NORMAL, Ill. - For all the good that the Central Michigan gymnastics team had accomplished over the past few weeks, the Chippewas took a step backward on Saturday.
CMU scored 194.000 to finish second behind Eastern Michigan in the fifth annual Illinois vs. Michigan Classic at Illinois State.
Eastern finished with 194.650 to win the event. Illinois-Chicago was third 189.925, while the host Cardinals (189.650) were fourth.
Two weeks ago, the Chippewas scored 195.875 in beating Eastern by 1.3 points in a Mid-American Conference meet at McGuirk Arena. A week ago, the Chippewas scored a season-best 196.175 in topping Ball State.
That number was a sign that the Chippewas had turned the corner and were heading in the right direction.
"We shot ourselves in the foot on two events," CMU coach Jerry Reighard said of CMU's performance at Illinois State. "Our opening event (balance beam) and our closing event (bars).
"To put my finger on it, I haven't been able to wrap my head around that yet. When a low score occurred it was devastating and you can't be a Division I athlete and score an 8.
"That's just not acceptable and we had two of those on one event and that was our demise. There were several other things that were alarming."
Individually, the Chippewas won every event. Halle Moraw won the vault and the floor exercise, Kylie Fagan was first on bars, and Caroline Fitzpatrick won the balance beam. Each scored 9.875.
The Chippewas posted a season-best 49.000 team score to win the vault, and they finished with a 49.050 to take floor exercise. Their team totals in bars (47.875) and on beam (48.075) were far short of the standard and expectations that Reighard and his athletes have for themselves.
"It wasn't like an underclassmen problem," Reighard said. "These were veteran kids who let it get ahead of themselves. Frankly I don't know how or why it happened to us tonight.
"We will figure it out. We won't slough this off. There's got to be a mindset difference and we will accomplish that."
CMU's Kristen Petzold and Becca Druien both posted 9.825 on floor to finish among a group tied for second behind Moraw, while the Chippewas' Megan Lamphere was third on bars with a 9.825.
Petzold finished second (9.825) on vault and teammate Karlee Teet (9.800) tied for third. Moraw (9.750) was third on beam.
Saturday's meet with Eastern did not count in the MAC standings. The Chippewas, who are 6-2 overall, 2-0 league, entertain Northern Illinois in a conference meet on Friday at McGuirk Arena.
Players Mentioned
