Falcons Place Fifth At MAC Championships, Feely Takes Home Co-Vault Title

Saturday, March 21

Kent, Ohio

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

MAC Championships

Falcons Place Fifth At MAC Championships, Feely Takes Home Co-Vault Title

March 21, 2015 | Gymnastics

Lauren Feely tied a career high on vault by scoring a 9.900. Her performance won her a share of the vault title, as Central Michigan's Halle Moraw also registered a 9.900.

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Results (.PDF)

KENT, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team scored a 193.575 at the MAC Championships to place fifth of seven schools at Kent State's M.A.C. Center on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Lauren Feely took home the co-vault championship by scoring a 9.900. It marks the third straight year that a Falcon has won the event, as Jamilah Ali won it in 2013 and Amanda Lievendag took home the crown in 2014. Feely was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

Kent State won the championship with a 196.375, while Central Michigan placed second with a 196.275. Western Michigan (195.525) and Eastern Michigan (195.075) followed, with Ball State and Northern Illinois tying for last with a 193.200.

"We came here to win the MAC Championship, so we are obviously disappointed," head coach Kerrie Turner said. "But I am really proud of how we finished the meet on vault, and especially proud of Lauren Feely's co-championship. Alyssa Nocella has a solid chance of competing at NCAA Regionals as an individual, and I think Lauren has a strong chance as well."

The Falcons scored a season-high 49.100 on vault to place second. To go along with Feely's championship-winning 9.900, Lievendag scored a season-high 9.850, while Ali and junior Alyssa Nocella added a pair of 9.825 scores. The 9.825 for Nocella is a career high. Lievendag tied for fifth on the event. Ali and Nocella tied for eighth.

Bowling Green finished fourth on bars (48.700), sixth on beam (47.475) and seventh on floor (48.300).

Freshman Morgan Denlinger led the way on bars, and posted a career-high 9.825 to finish tied for sixth. Lievendag added a 9.800 to place tied for 11th. Nocella (9.750) and Caroline Ellingboe (9.725) also contributed on the event.

Nocella, who finished fifth in the all-around, paced the Falcons on beam by notching a 9.800 to finish tied for seventh. Freshman McKenna Schoenberger followed, as she tied a career high (9.750) to place tied for 14th. Freshman Jordan Rae, who also scored a 9.600 on bars, registered a 9.675 to finish 25th.

Senior Gina Locigno paced the Orange and Brown on floor, finishing tied for 16th by posting a 9.825. Feely (9.725), Schoenberger (9.700) and junior Katrina Carpenter (9.625) also contributed nicely to the Falcons' floor score.

Bowling Green did not improve its Regional Qualifying Score enough to qualify for the NCAA Tournament as a team, but there is a strong possibility that some Falcons could be selected to compete as individuals. The NCAA Gymnastics Selection Show will air on NCAA.com at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 23.