Friday, February 22
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Central Michigan University
195.775
vs
193.050
Bowling Green
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Chippewa Gymnasts Post Season-High In Rolling Past Bowling Green
2/23/2019 12:02:00 AM | Gymnastics
Pedrick, Plaksa, Zoeller bring home firsts
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Give them a challenge, and they respond.
The Central Michigan gymnasts posted season-best scores on both the vault and the balance beam on Friday in downing Bowling Green in a Mid-American Conference dual at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas posted a season-high 195.775 team score in improving to 11-1, 4-0 MAC. The Falcons scored 193.050 in slipping to 1-11, 0-5.
"Great night for us," CMU associate head coach Christine MacDonald said. "We've been working for over the last three months to hit the score, or at least close to the score, that we've been working on. It was a great night for our team."
The Chippewas' performance was all the more remarkable considering that they were without coach Jerry Reighard, who is on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
"The girls did an exceptional job working together," said MacDonald, a former Chippewa gymnast who is in her 23rd year on the CMU coaching staff. "It's been a great week as far as the support for each other and where we've been focused. Great outcome today.
"I'm proud of them every day. They're just amazing. We're blessed to be with these young women. They truly are a special group. We said it today: we're going to come in, we're going to work hard, we're going to stay focused, and we're going to have fun. When we do that, we perform well as a team. We are super proud of the support that they give each other daily."
FIRSTS
CMU gymnasts captured three of the four events, and junior Denelle Pedrick continued her streak of outstanding performances, winning the all-around with a season-best 39.300.
Pedrick won the vault with a 9.900, the best score in the event by a Chippewa this season; senior Gianna Plaksa was first on the uneven parallel bars with a 9.800; and senior Abbie Rose Zoeller posted a 9.875 to share first place with Bowling Green's Jovannah East on the floor exercise.
VAULT
The Chippewas posted a season-best 49.050 on the vault, the meet's first rotation. CMU took the top four spots, with freshman Morgan Tong placing second and Kennedy Rae Johnson and Sierra Demarinis tying for third. Johnson is a sophomore and Demarinis a freshman.
"Vault set the pace today," MacDonald said.
BARS
The Chippewas' bar score, 48.725, was their lowest of the four events in the meet. Still, they dominated, with Hayley Porter finishing second, Zoeller third, and Johnson and Pedrick tying for fourth.
"Overall, even on bars, you saw the fight with each athlete there and they really found a way to make it happen every time," MacDonald said. "Sometimes you have a slip, and they get back up, and that's exactly how they're taught in practice and that's how they compete."
BEAM
Demarinis and Pedrick tied for third and Macey Hilliker tied for fifth to lead the Chippewas to a season-best 49.025 on beam.
FLOOR
The Chippewas posted a 48.975 on the floor exercise. Pedrick was third, Demarinis was fourth and Nora Fettinger placed fifth.
STEADY APPROACH
MacDonald said the Chippewas kept it business as usual and, based on their results, it was as they posted yet another victory, putting on display their familiar depth.
"We have an amazing team and today was no different than any other day," she said. "We've been together, we work together every day. The team makes it easy for us. They're self-sufficient. For me, coming in today, it was a normal meet day, and that's how we kept it.
"The message is a daily message. You keep it simple, you work hard, and you stay focused on the important things and you don't get distracted. We work really hard at staying united and keeping a bubble around ourselves. Whether it's at practice or in a competition, it's staying focused on what you have to do and really keeping a positive message to each other."
NEXT
The Chippewas go to Ball State for a MAC meet on Sunday, March 3 (1 p.m.).
The Central Michigan gymnasts posted season-best scores on both the vault and the balance beam on Friday in downing Bowling Green in a Mid-American Conference dual at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas posted a season-high 195.775 team score in improving to 11-1, 4-0 MAC. The Falcons scored 193.050 in slipping to 1-11, 0-5.
"Great night for us," CMU associate head coach Christine MacDonald said. "We've been working for over the last three months to hit the score, or at least close to the score, that we've been working on. It was a great night for our team."
The Chippewas' performance was all the more remarkable considering that they were without coach Jerry Reighard, who is on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
"The girls did an exceptional job working together," said MacDonald, a former Chippewa gymnast who is in her 23rd year on the CMU coaching staff. "It's been a great week as far as the support for each other and where we've been focused. Great outcome today.
"I'm proud of them every day. They're just amazing. We're blessed to be with these young women. They truly are a special group. We said it today: we're going to come in, we're going to work hard, we're going to stay focused, and we're going to have fun. When we do that, we perform well as a team. We are super proud of the support that they give each other daily."
FIRSTS
CMU gymnasts captured three of the four events, and junior Denelle Pedrick continued her streak of outstanding performances, winning the all-around with a season-best 39.300.
Pedrick won the vault with a 9.900, the best score in the event by a Chippewa this season; senior Gianna Plaksa was first on the uneven parallel bars with a 9.800; and senior Abbie Rose Zoeller posted a 9.875 to share first place with Bowling Green's Jovannah East on the floor exercise.
VAULT
The Chippewas posted a season-best 49.050 on the vault, the meet's first rotation. CMU took the top four spots, with freshman Morgan Tong placing second and Kennedy Rae Johnson and Sierra Demarinis tying for third. Johnson is a sophomore and Demarinis a freshman.
"Vault set the pace today," MacDonald said.
BARS
The Chippewas' bar score, 48.725, was their lowest of the four events in the meet. Still, they dominated, with Hayley Porter finishing second, Zoeller third, and Johnson and Pedrick tying for fourth.
"Overall, even on bars, you saw the fight with each athlete there and they really found a way to make it happen every time," MacDonald said. "Sometimes you have a slip, and they get back up, and that's exactly how they're taught in practice and that's how they compete."
BEAM
Demarinis and Pedrick tied for third and Macey Hilliker tied for fifth to lead the Chippewas to a season-best 49.025 on beam.
FLOOR
The Chippewas posted a 48.975 on the floor exercise. Pedrick was third, Demarinis was fourth and Nora Fettinger placed fifth.
STEADY APPROACH
MacDonald said the Chippewas kept it business as usual and, based on their results, it was as they posted yet another victory, putting on display their familiar depth.
"We have an amazing team and today was no different than any other day," she said. "We've been together, we work together every day. The team makes it easy for us. They're self-sufficient. For me, coming in today, it was a normal meet day, and that's how we kept it.
"The message is a daily message. You keep it simple, you work hard, and you stay focused on the important things and you don't get distracted. We work really hard at staying united and keeping a bubble around ourselves. Whether it's at practice or in a competition, it's staying focused on what you have to do and really keeping a positive message to each other."
NEXT
The Chippewas go to Ball State for a MAC meet on Sunday, March 3 (1 p.m.).
Players Mentioned
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