Golden Flashes Co-Shares MAC Regular Season Title with Win over Bowling Green
Golden Flashes Co-Shares MAC Regular Season Title with Win over Bowling Green
The Kent State Gymnastics team shared the Mid-American Conference regular season title with Ball State after a 197.100-195.750 senior day win over the Bowling Green Falcons. The Golden Flashes finished the regular season with a 5-1 conference record, tying with the Cardinals to share the title, their 2nd title in the past three seasons. In the win, the Golden Flashes’ 197.100 marked the third best score in program history, making it the fifth of the six highest scoring performances. The Flashes, who entered the meet ranked No. 24 in the country, won on all four events and have secured their spot in the upcoming NCAA Championships.
Rotation 1:
In the first rotation, the Golden Flashes kicked off the meet on vault, combining for a score of 49.075, while the Falcons started on bars, combining for a 48.975. Senior Kennedy Weinpert and sophomore Nastia Rudnitskaya tied for 1st on vault with 9.850 scores, while Megan Bingham finished with a team-high 9.825 on the uneven bars.
Rotation 2:
In the second rotation, the Golden Flashes combined for a score of 49.325 on the uneven bars, while the Falcons combined for a 48.950 on the vault. For the Golden Flashes, Rudnitskaya and senior Sarah Haxton tied for 1st with a score of 9.925, while sophomore Madison Coburn, freshman Love Akpan, and junior Kathryn Weilbacher knotted a 4-way tie for 3rd on the vault with 9.825 scores.
Rotation 3:
Heading into the second half of the meet, the Golden Flashes combined for a 49.100 on the balance beam, while the Falcons combined for a 49.025 on the exercise floor. Junior Alyssa Guns took the top throne with a 9.875, while Weilbacher and sophomore Elise Brzoska knotted a 4-way tie for 4th with a 9.875 on the floor.
Rotation 4:
In the final rotation, the Golden Flashes combined for a 49.600 on the exercise floor to claim all 4 event titles over the Falcons, who combined for a 48.800 on the balance beam. Freshman Dani Fuertez claimed the 1st place throne on the floor for the 4th time with a career-best 9.975, while Akpan, Brzoska and freshman Nadia Parente each tied for 2nd with a 9.850.
Results:
Vault:
1st: Nastia Rudnitskaya - Kent State - 9.850
1st: Kennedy Weinpert - Kent State - 9.850
3rd: Mya Gigliore - Kent State - 9.825
3rd: Madison Coburn - Bowling Green - 9.825
3rd: Love Akpan - Bowling Green - 9.825
3rd: Kathryn Wielbacher - Bowling Green - 9.825
Uneven Bars:
1st: Nastia Rudnitskaya - Kent State - 9.925
1st: Sarah Haxton - Kent State - 9.925
3rd: Heidi Schultz - Kent State - 9.825
3rd: Brynne Tsipis - Kent State - 9.825
3rd: Kyndall Gilbert - Kent State - 9.825
3rd: Megan Bingham - Bowling Green - 9.825
Balance Beam:
1st: Alyssa Guns - Kent State - 9.875
2nd: Love Akpan - Bowling Green - 9.850
2nd: Nadia Parente - Bowling Green - 9.850
2nd: Elise Brzoska - Bowling Green - 9.850
5th: Sarah Haxton - Kent State - 9.825
Floor Exercise:
1st: Dani Fuertez - Kent State - 9.975
2nd: Heidi Schultz - Kent State - 9.950
3rd: Alyssa Guns - Kent State - 9.925
4th: Zoe Rankin - Kent State - 9.875
4th: Karlie Franz - Kent State - 9.875
4th: Keira Thornton - Bowling Green - 9.875
4th: Kathryn Weilbacher - Bowling Green - 9.875
