Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Ball State
Freshman Feely Leads Falcons To 3-0 MAC Mark
January 31, 2014 | Gymnastics
Muncie, Ind. – Bowling Green freshman Lauren Feely won her first collegiate all-around title and the Bowling Green gymnastics team improved to 3-0 in Mid-American Conference action with a 194.150-193.025 win over Ball State Friday evening.
With the win, Bowling Green equaled its conference win total from a year ago when the Falcons went 3-3 in the league. That came on the heels of a 1-5 MAC record in 2012 and 0-6 in 2011. And while the veterans have been crucial to the culture change that has put BGSU in the hunt for a MAC title, it was a freshman who led the team Friday.
Feely scored a career-best 9.725 on the floor and had a consistent effort on all four apparatuses, scoring at least 9.600 in every rotation. Her best score was a 9.750 on vault.
The meet was virtually even after the first two rotations as Bowling Green outscored Ball State 48.600-48.475 on bars but the Cardinals held a 48.475-48.400 lead on vault. But the Falcons took over once the teams moved to the floor and the balance beam.
Ball State struggled on the balance beam in the third rotation and the Falcons put up five scores of at least 9.700 on the floor. Heading to the final rotation, Bowling Green just need a solid performance on beam to put the match away.
The Falcons got that effort with five scores of at least 9.575, which including a team-best 9.775 from Megan Harrington. Bowling Green scored a 48.350 on the beam, its second-best score on the apparatus this year, to clinch the win.
BGSU did get the meet started well with a 48.600 on the bars. Three Falcons set or tied their career-best during the rotation, with Alyssa Nocella tying her best with a 9.800 to win the event. Freshman Rachel Reis tied her best with 9.750 and Alexandria Porter set her best with a 9.750. Gina Locigno tied her career-best with a 9.750 on vault during the second rotation.
"We are pleased to pick up our third MAC win this evening and remain undefeated in the conference," BGSU Gymnastics Coach Kerrie Turner said. "While it wasn't our best meet, it was a positive to achieve a decent road score and build our confidence with a road win. There is no doubt this team is passionate about excellence and it is really showing in competition. We will look to increase the number of solid routines and some of the finer details as we move towards our only double meet weekend of the season."
With the loss, Ball State falls to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in MAC play. Bowling Green improves to 3-2 overall and keeps pace at the top of the MAC standings at 3-0. The Falcons will head on the road to compete in the Chicago Style Invite next Friday at 8:30 pm with Boise State, North Carolina and Illinois-Chicago. The team will then be at home next Sunday for a critical MAC meet against Central Michigan, another league favorite, at 2 p.m.
