Falcons Defeat Temple, Illinois State Behind Season-Best Performance

Saturday, February 15

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

194.550

193.550

Temple

Photo by: Isaiah Vazquez/BGSU Athletics

Falcons Defeat Temple, Illinois State Behind Season-Best Performance

February 15, 2020 | Gymnastics

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team scored a season-best 194.550 and narrowly defeated both Illinois State (194.350) and Temple (193.550) Saturday in a three-way meet at Anderson Arena. The Falcons improved to 5-5 on the season, while Illinois State moves to 4-6 and Temple falls to 5-6.

FULL RESULTS
PHOTO GALLERY

Bowling Green posted nine personal bests among the team's 24 rotations and added five more season best scores. Jovannah East won both the balance beam and floor exercise, but the Falcons were balanced, scoring at least 48.400 on all four rotations.

TEAM SCORING

Bowling Green opened the meet on vault and led after the first rotation. The Falcons never trailed at the end of any of the four rotations.
BGSU's 48.700 on vault was tied for the second-best vault score of the year.
The Falcons followed on bars and scored 48.625, the team's best score of the year on that apparatus.
On beam, BGSU scored 48.400, the third-best beam score of the season.
The Falcons closed on floor and recorded a season-best 48.825.
Of the three teams, BGSU was the only one to score at least 48.400 in all four rotations. In fact, neither Illinois State or Temple reached 48.400 on even three rotations.

THE VAULT

Samantha Marion tied for second at the meet with a personal best 9.850 score. It is the fifth time this year, she has placed in the top two on an event despite only competing on vault and beam.
Elena Lawson posted a season-best 9.800 score. Her career-high score is 9.825.
Jovannah East anchored the rotation with a 9.825.
Freshman Emily Cyphers competed in her first career collegiate meet, leading off the rotation with a 9.450.

UNEVEN BARS

Alexandra Fochler earned a top three finish on bars for the fourth straight meet. She scored a 9.850, tying her season-best score, to place second.
Freshman Lily Harsch established her collegiate best on bars with a 9.725, the team's second-best score of the day.
Elena Lawson totaled a season-best 9.700 as she led off the rotation.
Paige Bachner shattered her personal best score on bars with a 9.675. Her previous best was just a 9.425.
Katelyn Goldstrom also recorded a season-best 9.675 on bars.

BALANCE BEAM

The Falcons earned all three medalist spots on balance beam with Jovannah East, Taylor Worthington and Lily Harsch posting the top three meet scores.
East recorded a season-best 9.850, anchoring the rotation.
Worthington scored a 9.800 and Harsch posted a personal best 9.750 for her first career top three event finish.

FLOOR EXERCISE

Jovannah East took medalist honors with a 9.875 on floor. As the final competitor of the meet, she needed at least a 9.700 to lift Bowling Green to the meet victory and she easily surpassed that.
Lily Harsch had her third personal best score of the day, posting a 9.775 on floor.
Alexandra Fochler recorded a personal best 9.750 on floor.
Both Katelyn Goldstrom and Olivia Williams scored a 9.650, personal bests for both.

ALL-AROUND

Jovannah East finished third in the all-around competition with a 39.225 score. That is tied for her second-best all-around effort of the year.
Lily Harsch ended fourth at 38.875, shattering her previous all-around best score of 37.775.

FROM COACH KERRIE TURNER

"They really did a great job today. We knew we would need a slow progression because we have a lot of new people in our lineups. They've started to hit their stride in practice and then they were able to reflect that in competition."
"The energy was insane today. It makes a big difference when Anderson Arena is roaring and there's a lot of excitement."
"There's a few places that we are still working on the fine details, like stuck landings. On beam, we counted a low score today. We'll try to replicate that in practice before our double weekend coming up."

UP NEXT

Bowling Green has a double-meet weekend ahead, one at home and one on the road.
The Falcons will host Central Michigan Friday at 6:00 pm for the team's annual Pink Meet and Military Appreciation Night.
BGSU will then head to West Virginia Sunday for a four-way meet against Towson, Western Michigan and host WVU. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm.