Central Michigan University
Bowling Green
Chippewas Surge Past Bowling Green
3/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Zach Libby, CMUChippewas.com
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The question of how Central Michigan would respond after dropping a Mid-American Conference home dual to Kent State on Sunday was on the mind of coach Jerry Reighard.
Answer: Very well.
Taylor Bolender won the floor exercise and Katy Clements the balance beam as the short-handed Chippewas topped Bowling Green, 195.750-195.150, at the Falcons' Anderson Arena.
The win lifted CMU to 12-2 overall, 4-1 MAC. Kent State wrapped up the MAC regular-season title on Friday with a victory over Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas go to Eastern next Thursday for their regular-season finale.
The Chippewas went into Friday's meet short-handed, as freshman all-arounder Kasey Janowicz sat out with a leg injury. That opened the door for four other gymnasts.
Bowling Green, which came into Friday's meet sitting in last place in the conference standings, provided a scare following the second rotation, grabbing the lead, 97.850-97.525.
But it was the perseverance of the Chippewa upperclassmen on both the floor exercise and balance beam that wiped away a potential upset.
"I felt really good about the score," Reighard said. "The impressive thing was that it was our meet to win and that's what I told the team going into floor. We were behind and I said, 'It's time, we have to do this.'"
When comparing the situation the Chippewas faced at Bowling Green when running behind to last week's meet at home against Kent State, Reighard said there was a more positive vibe going into the final stretch.
"It was a do or die," he said. "There was a different dynamics today, without a doubt."
The Chippewas delivered a 48.900 team score on floor, and followed with a season-best 49.325 on beam.
Clements won the beam with a 9.925, while Caroline Fitzpatrick and Karlee Teet tied for second (9.900), and Bolender won the floor with a 9.900.
"Our beam squad was really, really focused today," Reighard said. "The score obviously portrayed that story, but it wasn't like they were all tensed up.
"They were confident in what they could do. They knew that if anyone made a mistake, we were going to put Bowling Green right back into it. But I don't think that ever entered their heads."
Teet, a senior, bounced back from a subpar performance against Kent State on uneven parallel bars, posting a team-best 9.850 to finished tied for second. The Chippewas' Megan Lamphere and Bryttany Kaplan both scored 9.775.
Teet and teammate Jodie Plescow tied for second on vault at 9.825 behind Bowling Green's Lauren Feely (9.850).
"Today was an actual Senior Day performance for Karlee," Reighard said. "She performed like a very-accomplished athlete; she performed like you'd expect a senior to perform and unfortunately it was a week late."
Players Mentioned
