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Gymnastics team dominates on Senior Day
It’s unusual for a gymnastics team to compete more than once a week.
However, due to schedule changes, the NIU gymnasts were forced to compete for the second time in five days Sunday.
NIU (5-1, 3-1 MAC) defeated Central Michigan and Illinois-Chicago on Senior Day with a score of 194.525. The Huskies’ overall score tied its ninth highest in team history.
“It’s a really nice day on a number of levels,” NIU head coach Mark Sontag said. “For us to keep stepping up the ladder the way we did, we accomplished a number of goals today.”
The Huskies also posted their fifth-highest score in team history on the balance beam with a 49.025.
“The beam has been great this whole week; they really stepped up.” Sontag said. “They’re really going well.”
NIU was led by freshman Holly Reichard, who tied for the highest overall score of the meet with Central Michigan’s (2-6, 1-4 MAC) Katie Simon with a 39.075.
The 39.075 score is a season best for Reichard, who also finished second overall on the vault and the balance beam.
“Every meet, we keep improving little by little,” Reichard said. “Hopefully, it will just keep building up.”
NIU was also helped out by another all–arounder in junior Leah Johnson. Johnson had the third highest overall score of the meet with a 38.925. The junior finished in a tie for first on the floor exercise and placed second on the uneven parallel bars.
“That’s part of the strength of this team,” Sontag said. “We have a whole bunch of great ones.”
NIU takes the floor next Saturday at 1 p.m. when it visits Eastern Michigan.
» Next Sports Article: Huskie briefs: March 4, 2008