Bowling Green State University
OHIO STATE
Falcons Fall Just Shy of No. 16 Ohio State
February 22, 2009 | Gymnastics
Feb. 22, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Only 0.425 of a point separated the Bowling Green State University gymnastics team and No. 16 Ohio State, as the Falcons fell just shy of the Buckeyes, 194.175-193.750 this afternoon (Feb. 22) in Anderson Arena on senior day. Despite the loss the Falcons recorded a season high team score, nearly a point higher than their previous season best set last weekend against Western Michigan (Feb. 13) and the best team score of any squad since the 2004-05 season.
"It was definitely a great night," said head coach Kerrie Beach. "We worked really hard this past week to make some minor adjustments and it was great to see them be made. We were especially thrilled with our bar and floor line-ups stepping up the way they did. Every athlete on both events did as well as they could have. Tonight's score (193.750), shows that this team has the potential to do great things especially at the MAC Championships."
The Falcons sent their seniors, Katie Follett and Jenna Wirtanen out in style as the squad took care of business as a team and as individuals recording eight top-three finishes, combining for no fewer than 13 season best scores, including seven career highs from Wirtanen, Morgan Balzer, Megan Chronister, Kasey Fillmore, Lexi Psichopaidas and two from Breanne Guy.
The Orange and Brown opened their last home meet of the season strong on vault as Guy stuck her landing for a 9.825 and first place finish, her second straight win on vault and fourth of the season. Not far behind her was Wirtanen landing a 9.700 and a sixth place finish. The Falcons vault line-up recorded a 48.325, their second best team score on vault of the season only 0.15 of point shy of their season best.
For the second rotation the Falcons moved onto the uneven bars, which has proven to be one of their strongest events of the season. The Falcon bar line-up did not disappoint as they recorded a season high 48.700 with a low score of 9.625. The Orange and Brown took two of the top-three finishes on bars as Guy swung her way to a 9.800 and second place finish. Only 0.025 of a point behind her was teammate Amber Brewer tying her career and season high 9.775, tying for a third place finish. Fillmore rounded out the top three finishers for the Falcons with a 9.750 in sixth place, just shy of her career best. Chronister and Psichopaidas both recorded career highs with a 9.700 and 9.675 respectively.
Next up for the Falcons was the balance beam, which has been one of the events that has given BG some difficulties early in the season. The beam line-up put together a strong performance recording their third best score of the season. Leading the Falcons was Guy as she recorded her second 9.800 and second place finish of the meet. In her final home meet of her collegiate career Follett came up big matching her career best with a 9.700, tying for a fourth place finish. Queenita Gamble rounded out the top finishers for the Falcons on beam with a 9.650 and sixth place finish.
With three events down, including one event season best and two other top season scores, the Falcons continued to bring their performances to the next level as they tumbled their way to a season high 49.100 on floor, taking the top three finishes each recording a career best and winning the event. The Falcons team floor score was just shy of the program record only 0.325 of a point behind the 2002 team's score of 49.425. Guy led the Falcon line-up tumbling her way to a career high 9.875 and first place finish. Right on her heels was Balzer also landing a career high with a 9.850 and second place finish. Fillmore rounded out the top three overall and Falcon finishers with a career high 9.825 tying for third. Wirtanen finished her final home collegiate meet with a career high 9.800 on floor tying for a fifth place finish.
Guy finished the afternoon with a career high 39.300 winning the all-around and recording the third best all-around score in program history, only three tenths shy of the program record. Guy finished the meet with four top-two event finishes, including two event titles and recording a 9.800 or better in all four events.
The Falcons will end their regular season with three straight road meets before the Mid-American Conference Championships, first taken on their last MAC opponent, Central Michigan on Friday (Feb. 27) at 7:00 p.m., followed by two non-conference meets during spring break.
