Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Kent State
Clements Delivers, Chippewas Nip Rival Kent State
2/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Plenty of drama, plenty of excitement.
In the end, a big Mid-American Conference dual-meet victory for the Central Michigan gymnastics over rival Kent State on Sunday at McGuirk Arena.
It all came down to CMU's Katy Clements as the final performer on the floor exercise as CMU edged the Golden Flashes, 196.150-196.125, improving to 6-1, 4-0 MAC. Kent State fell to 5-3, 2-2.
Clements, a senior, needed a 9.900 to tie the meet, and instead put up a 9.925 -- tying her career best in the event -- to lift CMU to the dramatic victory.
"This week, we really focused on landings and also having that feeling of a championship caliber -- what that feels like and looks like," Clements said. "So coming into Kent State, we just took it as another meet to be the best team we can be and that's what we did today. It's exciting knowing there's a lot left on the table to improve on."
VAULT
CMU posted a season-best 49.000 to lead off the meet on the vault. CMU sophomore Denelle Pedrick won with a 9.9, while teammate Sydney Williams, also a sophomore, recorded a career-best 9.8 to take fourth place.
UNEVEN BARS
Gianna Plaksa led the Chippewas on the bars with a 9.850. Pedrick and fellow Chippewas Kailey Miller and Bryttany Kaplan each posted a 9.825, tying Kent State's Michale Romito and Brooke Timko for third. The Golden Flashes' Rachel Stypinski won the exercise (9.875).
BEAM
Clements tied with Kent State's Stypinski to win the beam with a 9.9. The Chippewas finished with a 48.675 for the rotation.
FLOOR
After a back-and-forth meet, it came down the floor in the final rotation for CMU. Courtney Campbell led off the rotation for the Chippewas, recording a career-best 9.825. Plaksa and Pedrick both scored 9.875 to share third place, and the Chippewas' Abbie Rose Zoeller tied for fifth with a 9.850.
Their performances set the stage for Clements, who delivered in the clutch.
CMU finished with a 49.350, just .050 shy of its season best in the event.
NEXT
Central Michigan goes to Bowling Green on Sunday, Feb. 25 (2 p.m.) for a MAC meet with the Falcons. Ohio State will also be on hand to compete as a nonconference opponent. The Chippewas entered Sunday's meet with Kent State ranked 26th nationally, while Ohio State is ranked 27th. Bowling Green is 3-6, 1-2 MAC and ranked 38th.
COACH Jerry Reighard
"There's no question in my mind. You can look at the floor and say that 49.350 won the meet, but it really started with the first event, which was a 49.000 on the vault. So, how important was it? It was a meet-winner.
"Right now, Bowling Green in on my mind. The meet will be a great momentum builder. We have to go to (Bowling Green), it's like going to another country. It's a really difficult place to compete in and they're having a really good season.
"Each week, we seem to bring out the best in every team we compete against. I have no doubts that'll happen next Sunday."
Players Mentioned
