With a 192.925-191.300 victory the No. 26 Huskies gymnastics team defeated the Ball State Cardinals for its third win on the season in Muncie, Ind.

NIU was led by sophomore Holly Reichard, who finished with an all-around score of 38.600. She finished first place in the vault with a 9.775 and first in the floor routine with a 9.825. Reichard currently holds the fourth best score in the all-around in the MAC with her 39.125 vs. Bowling Green on Jan. 25.

After two events the Huskies held a slim 96.550-96.450 lead over the Cardinals but turned things around on the final two events, defeating Ball State in the beam and floor competitions.

Junior Natalie Blum helped lead the Huskies to victory with a score of 9.775 on the bars.

Teammate Ashley Guerra was third in the bar routine with a 9.725. Ball State’s Bibiana Rodriguez-Lockwood finished, tied in the bars with Blum, with a 9.775.

Leading the Cardinals was fifth-year senior Teresa Phipps, who tied for second with NIU’s Jennifer Naughton in the vault with a score of 9.750. Phipps also tied with Naughton for second in the floor routine with a 9.775. The all-around score the Cardinals’ leader was a 38.100.

NIU’s Leah Johnson managed to finish with a 9.625 on the floor and a 9.625 on the vault for the Huskies. The senior has struggled this season after making back-to-back NCAA Regionals in the all-around, falling short of her career high 9.850 in the vault and 9.850 on the floor. Her career mark in the all-around is 39.125.

The Huskies will travel to Chicago on Friday to take on the University of Illinois-Chicago.
NIU will look to climb back into the NCAA Top 25 after dropping out from the No. 23 spot on Feb. 2.

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