Sunday, February 27
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
196.650
vs
195.075
Kent State
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Big Scores, Big Performances, Big Win For Gymnasts
2/27/2022 4:40:00 PM | Gymnastics
Final Results
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Getting better and better, and at the right time.
Central Michigan gymnasts placed first in all four events on Sunday as the Chippewas downed rival Kent State in a Mid-American Conference dual at McGuirk Arena. It was the first conference loss for the Golden Flashes.
CMU and Kent, long the premier programs in the league, both have one conference loss. The Chippewas finished with a season-best 196.650 total and their best since they posted a 197.025 at the 2018 MAC Championships.
The Golden Flashes finished at 195.075.
"It's always been a great competition between Kent State and us and that's what it was today," CMU coach Christine MacDonald said. "After the first rotation we were tied, and we knew it was going to be a battle to the finish.
"We really kept our heads down and worked through that and took it one event at a time."
The teams went into the final rotation – CMU on floor exercise and Kent State on balance beam – with Kent State holding a 147.425-147.150 lead.
CMU put the hammer down, scoring a season-high 49.500 on floor while Kent State recorded a 47.650 on beam. CMU's 49.500 was in the neighborhood of the best floor score in program history, 49.625.
"We're gaining such a great fluid momentum with our floor team," MacDonald said. "It seems to just roll from one person to the next and the energy is contagious. It's something that's very consistent in practice, and each meet, it's consistently been there."
Sierra DeMarinis led the Chippewas with an outstanding 9.950 – her career best -- to place first on floor, while teammate Hannah DeMers was second at 9.925, her season best. It marked the second consecutive meet in which DeMers has posted a 9.925 in the event
"(DeMarinis) really strives, every day in the gym, to get those 10ths," MacDonald said. "You watch her out there, and it's pure enjoyment, pure confidence."
DeMers' floor performance capped an outstanding day for the junior from Canton. She won the all around with a career-best 39.550, which ties for the fourth best all around score in program history. The Chippewa record is 39.625 set in 2003 by Kara Reighard.
DeMers tied with teammate Adrianna Bustelo and Kent State's Sarah Haxton for first on balance beam (9.875); she won the vault (9.900); and she placed fourth (9.850) on uneven parallel bars.
DeMers matched her career-best scores on both beam and vault.
"Hannah had a huge all around score," MacDonald said. "She's striving every day for that all around record and I see it in her in practices and in competition. Today was a great day for her. She started strong and finished strong."
The Chippewas scored a season-best 49.075 on vault. The Chippewas' Katie Kowalski was second behind DeMers with a 9.850, marking the fifth time in the Chippewas' last six meets that the steady sophomore from Freeland has scored at least a 9.850 in the event.
"Katie Kowalski, her consistency has been out of the park," MacDonald said.
CMU's Lia Kmieciak and Audriana Hammond shared first place, along with Kent State's Haxton, on uneven parallel bars. They scored 9.875, a career best for Kmieciak, a freshman who was competing for just the third time as a Chippewa. It tied Hammond's season high.
Bustelo's 9.875 on beam was also a season high.
It was, to put it mildly, an outstanding day, top to bottom, for a Chippewa team that is hitting its stride at the right time. It was their third consecutive score of 196 or better.
CMU is scheduled to compete in a quad meet at Illinois on Friday, March 4, and then entertains Ball State on Friday, March 11, in its MAC regular season finale.
The MAC Championships are scheduled for Saturday, March 19, at Eastern Michigan.
"They're striving for excellence," MacDonald said. "That's our theme in the gym each week: excellent gymnastics and putting out our best effort every time we step onto the floor whether it's practice or a competition. We're focused, we're driven, and there's a lot of energy, a lot of enjoyment.
"It's just a whole team effort. That's the big thing, that consistency across the board."
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Getting better and better, and at the right time.
Central Michigan gymnasts placed first in all four events on Sunday as the Chippewas downed rival Kent State in a Mid-American Conference dual at McGuirk Arena. It was the first conference loss for the Golden Flashes.
CMU and Kent, long the premier programs in the league, both have one conference loss. The Chippewas finished with a season-best 196.650 total and their best since they posted a 197.025 at the 2018 MAC Championships.
The Golden Flashes finished at 195.075.
"It's always been a great competition between Kent State and us and that's what it was today," CMU coach Christine MacDonald said. "After the first rotation we were tied, and we knew it was going to be a battle to the finish.
"We really kept our heads down and worked through that and took it one event at a time."
The teams went into the final rotation – CMU on floor exercise and Kent State on balance beam – with Kent State holding a 147.425-147.150 lead.
CMU put the hammer down, scoring a season-high 49.500 on floor while Kent State recorded a 47.650 on beam. CMU's 49.500 was in the neighborhood of the best floor score in program history, 49.625.
"We're gaining such a great fluid momentum with our floor team," MacDonald said. "It seems to just roll from one person to the next and the energy is contagious. It's something that's very consistent in practice, and each meet, it's consistently been there."
Sierra DeMarinis led the Chippewas with an outstanding 9.950 – her career best -- to place first on floor, while teammate Hannah DeMers was second at 9.925, her season best. It marked the second consecutive meet in which DeMers has posted a 9.925 in the event
"(DeMarinis) really strives, every day in the gym, to get those 10ths," MacDonald said. "You watch her out there, and it's pure enjoyment, pure confidence."
DeMers' floor performance capped an outstanding day for the junior from Canton. She won the all around with a career-best 39.550, which ties for the fourth best all around score in program history. The Chippewa record is 39.625 set in 2003 by Kara Reighard.
DeMers tied with teammate Adrianna Bustelo and Kent State's Sarah Haxton for first on balance beam (9.875); she won the vault (9.900); and she placed fourth (9.850) on uneven parallel bars.
DeMers matched her career-best scores on both beam and vault.
"Hannah had a huge all around score," MacDonald said. "She's striving every day for that all around record and I see it in her in practices and in competition. Today was a great day for her. She started strong and finished strong."
The Chippewas scored a season-best 49.075 on vault. The Chippewas' Katie Kowalski was second behind DeMers with a 9.850, marking the fifth time in the Chippewas' last six meets that the steady sophomore from Freeland has scored at least a 9.850 in the event.
"Katie Kowalski, her consistency has been out of the park," MacDonald said.
CMU's Lia Kmieciak and Audriana Hammond shared first place, along with Kent State's Haxton, on uneven parallel bars. They scored 9.875, a career best for Kmieciak, a freshman who was competing for just the third time as a Chippewa. It tied Hammond's season high.
Bustelo's 9.875 on beam was also a season high.
It was, to put it mildly, an outstanding day, top to bottom, for a Chippewa team that is hitting its stride at the right time. It was their third consecutive score of 196 or better.
CMU is scheduled to compete in a quad meet at Illinois on Friday, March 4, and then entertains Ball State on Friday, March 11, in its MAC regular season finale.
The MAC Championships are scheduled for Saturday, March 19, at Eastern Michigan.
"They're striving for excellence," MacDonald said. "That's our theme in the gym each week: excellent gymnastics and putting out our best effort every time we step onto the floor whether it's practice or a competition. We're focused, we're driven, and there's a lot of energy, a lot of enjoyment.
"It's just a whole team effort. That's the big thing, that consistency across the board."
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
MAC Championships Cinematic Melt
Monday, March 24
Lia Kmieciak Post Championship Interview
Saturday, March 22
Coach MacDonald Post Championship Interview
Saturday, March 22
Hannah Appleget Post Championship Interview
Saturday, March 22