The 0-2 Ball State University gymnastics team will try to pick up its first victory in Irving Gym against preseason favorite Kent State University.
The Golden Flashes were selected by the Mid-American Conference coaches to win the regular season championship after finishing in a tie for the 2007 regular season title with a 5-1 record.
"They have always been really good for the last four years that I've been on the team," senior Cardinal tri-captain Lauren West said. "They've always been a rival of ours."
First-year coach Nadalie Walsh said her team has the capability of beating Kent State but it has to improve in the four events from the last competition against Illinois State University in order to do so.
One advantage the Cardinals should have over the last competition is the return of sophomore Bibiana Rodriguez from a hand injury. Walsh said she doesn't know if Rodriguez will compete in all three of the floor, vault and bars exercises like she would when she is fully healthy, but she will definitely compete in the event she is best at.
"She'll compete bars and that's huge for us because she's a really strong anchor on bars for us," Walsh said.
However, the Cardinals will be without sophomore Brittani Ricks, who injured her ankle during the last competition. Walsh said Ricks performs in the vault and bars and is a contender for the beam each competition.
In the one competition in which Ricks scored for the Cardinals she placed third on the team in both the vault and bars.
Even with the loss of Ricks and with Rodriguez still affected by her hand injury, Walsh said, she thinks her team can pick up its first victory.
"If they are able to make all their routines, I think they have just as good of a chance as anybody to beat Kent State," Walsh said.
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