Gymnasts Post Season High In Win At Bowling Green

Friday, February 5

Bowling Green, OH

5 p.m.

Central Michigan University

195.050

179.250

Bowling Green

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

2/5/2021 9:42:00 PM | Gymnastics

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

Final Results

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Central Michigan gymnastics team placed first in every event in posting a season-best 195.050 score on Friday in taking a Mid-American Conference dual meet at Bowling Green.

The Chippewas set season highs on bars and balance beam and came with a whisker of accomplishing that feat on vault in claiming the win at Bowling Green's Anderson Arena.

"Really proud of the team," CMU coach Christine MacDonald said. "From top to bottom they really did a great job. We had lots of energy and one routine after another they focused on each other and they trusted the process. It's a steppingstone for sure as we build each week.

"We're definitely moving in the right direction. It goes with a lot of work and a lot of time. I'm very happy for the team. We're all excited to get back in the gym and get back to work."

The Chippewas' season-best scores came on uneven parallel bars (48.950) and on balance beam (48.425). They posted a 48.800 score on vault, just .025 shy of their season best.

Two of CMU's top highlights came from Hannah DeMers, who won bars with a 9.925; and from Morgan Tong, who won the beam with a career-best-tying 9.900.

DeMers, normally an all-arounder, did not compete on beam or floor. Her bars routine was dynamite, MacDonald said.

"Hannah's bar routine, it was flawless, it really was," she said. "An amazing routine."

Tong, a junior who last season was ranked No. 1 in the MAC on beam, was the last competitor in the final rotation of the meet.

"There were a lot of delays today throughout the meet," MacDonald said. "She warmed up 2 ½, almost three hours before she competed. It was a long wait for her and to be the final competitor of the meet and to do what she did, it just speaks volumes about her composure and her experience and her focus. Super proud of her. She continues to just grow into that anchor position for us."

CMU freshman Katie Kowalski won the vault (9.850) and junior Sierra DeMarinis captured the floor exercise (9.850). It was a career best for Kowalski and DeMarinis matched her career high. DeMarinis also won the all-around (38.950).

MacDonald shuffled her lineup, inserting several underclassmen as she continues her search for the right combination.

"We rested some of our athletes which allowed some different individuals, some first-time competitors, like Elizabeth Buttle on floor and Katie Kowalski on beam, to gain some meet experience," MacDonald said. "Buttle performed for the first time tonight and she did a great job coming in and filling a lineup spot. That was exciting; her first career performance as a collegiate athlete and that's what we're looking for, a total team effort.

"I think the consistency is going to continue to build each week as we solidify our lineup. We're definitely growing and continuing to develop as a team and that's really the steps that we're looking for. A lot of positives out of tonight. Very proud of the improvements the team has made over each week."