Central Michigan University
Bowling Green
Chippewas Edged By Bowling Green
2/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan gymnastics coach Jerry Reighard often borrows terms from other sports to describe the performance of his team.
In this case, Reighard chose football.
"It's a fumble, that's the easiest way to describe it," the longtime Chippewa mentor said. "We went to balance beam and fumbled the ball twice and they certainly scored on us."
And that was enough to cost CMU after in otherwise solid performance in a Mid-American Conference dual with Bowling Green at McGuirk Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Falcons edged the Chippewas, 195.725-195.625. CMU slipped to 7-4, 2-3 MAC. Bowling Green is 3-11, 2-2.
It was a season-best score for the Falcons, and the Chippewas' second-best score of the season.
"There's no weak sister in the league anymore," Reighard said. "Week after week you've got to be on. And I want that. It's been a long time I think since we've had three conference losses. That's not a good feeling on my part. I know it's not on the athletes."
The Chippewas posted a subpar 48.375 score on balance beam in the third rotation. They went into the final event, floor exercise, needing a strong performance which they got with a 49.175, but it wasn't quite enough.
"It's 100 percent mental," Reighard said of balance beam. "There's no grease on the beam. You can't be tentative and I saw that many times, and not just on balance beam, today. At this point in the season, if you doubt yourself we've got to find someone to put in the lineup who doesn't doubt their self."
CMU's Katy Clements won the balance beam with a 9.900 and teammate Caroline Fitzpatrick was second at 9.875. CMU swept the top three spots on floor exercise, with Macey Hilliker tying her career-best with a 9.925 to claim the top spot.
The Chippewas' Denelle Pedrick was second (9.900) and Gianna Plaksa (9.875 placed third).
CMU's Bryttany Kaplan scored 9.875 to share the top spot on parallel bars with Bowling Green's Rachel Reis.
The Falcons' Jovannah East won the vault with 9.875.
The Chippewas entertain Rutgers in a nonconference dual on Sunday, March 5 (1 p.m.). They close the regular season on Saturday, March 11, at home against Northern Illinois.
Players Mentioned
