Bowling Green State University
University of Kentucky
Wildcats Down Falcons in Lexington
March 09, 2013 | Gymnastics
Lexington, Ky. - The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team suffered a loss to No. 20 Kentucky on the road Friday, 196.375-192.700. Gina Locigno claimed her first all-around title of the season, while Amanda Lievendag stuck her uneven bars routine for a career-high 9.875 and her sixth individual win on the event this year.
The Falcons rolled through the first two events, hitting six strong routines on bars and vault. Megan Harrington led off with a 9.725, followed by hit routines from Locigno (9.675), Alyssa Nocella (9.7) and Caroline Ellingboe (9.75). Lievendag then stuck the best routine of the night to lead Bowling Green to a 48.725 - its second-highest bars tally of the year.
On vault, Kentucky started with a 49.100, led by a 9.875 from event winner Kenzie Hedges.
The Falcons continued to perform well on vault, with Locigno and Nocella leading off with strong 9.75 efforts. Sunny Marchand and Lievendag each hit 9.8 later in the lineup, setting up Jamilah Ali for a 9.825, good enough for third place on the event.
A 48.925 vault score gave the Falcons a 97.650 total at the halfway point, trailing Kentucky (98.125) by less than .500.
Floor exercise, the Falcons' best apparatus the past few meets, was an unlikely demon, as three gymnasts scored below 9.2. Nocella (9.775), Locigno (9.775) and Ellingboe (9.7) hit, but falls from Harrington and Ali, combined with an error from Megan Valentini, doomed the Falcons to a 47.350 for the event.
Meanwhile, Kentucky hit beam to pull away from Bowling Green, 147.250-145.000.
The Falcons failed to rebound on beam, as two gymnasts fell during their routines. After a shaky start from Ellingboe (8.55), Maria Salvia (9.625) and Locigno (9.65) fought to stay on the beam. Fourth in the lineup, Ali couldn't save a crooked flight series, scoring only 9.1. Nocella rebounded with a gutsy effort (9.575), before Harrington closed out the rotation with a 9.75.
In the end, the Falcons settled for a disappointing 196.375-192.700 loss to Kentucky. Bowling Green now falls to 4-11 (2-3 MAC) on the season, with one regular season meet remaining. The Falcons return home for senior day Saturday, March 16 at 4 p.m. against Western Michigan. The team then heads to the Mid-American Conference Championships on March 23 in Kalamazoo, Mich.
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