Gymnastics scores second conference win

Kent State Sophomore Whitnee Johnson jumps on the balancing beam at Bowling Green on Feb. 2. Kent State won the match against Bowling Green 195.8 – 193.825. Photo courtesy of Molly McFadden of The BG News.

Kent State Sophomore Whitnee Johnson jumps on the balancing beam at Bowling Green on Feb. 2. Kent State won the match against Bowling Green 195.8 – 193.825. Photo courtesy of Molly McFadden of The BG News.

Lily Flynn

Coming off a less than spectacular competition on the beam against George Washington and Western Michigan, the Kent State gymnasts traveled to Bowling Green motivated and ready to start fresh.

“We don’t really dwell a whole lot on what happened the previous week,” Flashes coach Brice Biggin said. “I may mention something, but not at the time we’re getting ready to go. It’s more what we need to focus on to do a good job at the time being, which is right now.”

The Flashes took down the Falcons, a MAC conference foe, with a score of 195.800 – 193.825 for their second conference win of the season. Junior Marie Case, once again, placed first in the balance beam and floor exercise, scoring a 9.925 in both events. She also took second in the uneven bars and fifth in the vault, with scores that launched her into first place in the All Around for the second consecutive week with a score of 39.450.

Senior Rachel Guida and sophomore Chelsea Drooger also placed high during the competition. Guida took first in the uneven bars with a score of 9.850 and fifth in the vault with a score of 9.800, while Drooger placed first in the vault with a score of 9.875 and third in the uneven bars with a score of 9.725.

“I’m excited about how everyone did,” Drooger said. “We’re really excited about how the meet ended up going.”

The team’s next competition marks the first ever Beauty and the Beast match, an event that showcases both the gymnastics and wrestling teams simultaneously at 7 p.m., Friday at the M.A.C. Center. The gymnasts are scheduled to compete against Rutgers, while the wrestlers will compete against Cleveland State.

“I think everyone is curious as to how that meet is going to go and what is going to happen with it,” Biggins said. “It is really going to be great opportunity for Kent State fans. And we know we’ve got two weeks home and we need to come away with two really great scores.”

Contact Lily Flynn at [email protected].