For the second consecutive meet the Ball State University gymnastics team set a season high for points. This time the Cardinals scored 189.800 in a loss to Eastern Michigan University.
The Cardinals were propelled by a 48.225 score on the floor exercise which was a season high. Ball State coach Nadalie Walsh said she knew before they began their routines that they were going to hit.
"There were no doubts in anyone's mind," she said. "I could even tell by the way they were breathing. I got that they were second guessing or nervous ... what they did today on the floor I feel is what they do when we train. So they are beginning to transfer what we do in practice to a meet."
Four Cardinals scored 9.600 or better in the event. No one scored better than Kristin Sprague. The senior gymnast scored a 9.750 which was the top score of the meet. Sprague said it was a matter of doing what she was capable of.
"I just went up there and did the best routine I knew that I could do," she said. "It's one of the best routines I've done."
Unfortunately for the Cardinals not everything was a positive. On the first event of the day Megan Howard, one of the team's top performers in three of the four events, landed wrong on her vault performance.
Walsh said after the meet that Howard tore her ACL and is done for the season.
"She was really coming along so it's bad, but she can come back [next season]," Walsh said.
Replacing Howard on the floor was Brittany George, meanwhile, Alex Tuthill took Howard's spot on the beam.
The beam was a spot Walsh said the team particularly struggled.
"Last week they beat the University of Denver on it," she said. "I don't know maybe it's just a little mental glitch. Just because you did it one time doesn't mean you are always going to do well."
Despite the setback on the beam, Walsh said, the team has improved, although there is still room to grow.
"We keep climbing but we are still messing up," she said. "... We keep climbing but I'm not satisfied yet."
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