March 21, 2008

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - On Saturday, March 22 the Bowling Green State University gymnastics team will host their last home meet against No. 19 Kentucky. The meet will be senior night for the four graduating seniors, Jacque Bernhard, Ashlee deLeeuw, Jholeen Ponce and Marissa Saneholtz. The meet will be at 4:00 p.m. inside the House that Roars, Anderson Arena. BGSU is coming off an exciting loss as they fell to Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan, 193.625-193.500-193.125. The Falcons' score of 193.125 was their second highest on the season.

Falcons Come up Short

Last week the team saw a tremendous improvement in their overall team score as they posted a 193.125, their second highest on the season and well above the 190.575 they had been averaging in their last four meets. This was largely thanks to the help of sophomores Breanne Guy who claimed fourth in the all-around with a 38.550 and Queenita Gamble who set career bests on two events.

The team posted a new season high score on vault at 48.775. All six gymnasts who competed on this event set or tied career bests. Guy and Bernhardt tied for first with scores of 9.875.

On Bars Ponce posted a new season high at 9.700. The team posted a 48 for the first time in over two seasons on beam. Gamble scores a 9.775 while Megan Chronister hit a 9.7 for the first time this season. The team ended the meet on floor where Bernhardt scored a 9.825 and sophomore Rachel Gourley tied her career best at 9.750.

Wildcats Having a Record Season

The Wildcats of Kentucky come into the meet at 8-7 overall. They have recently jumped 14 spots in the nation rankings to reach their highest regional qualifying score in school history at 195.275. They are currently ranked in the top 20 on three events. On vault they are No.17, beam No. 20 and floor No. 10.

Their success this season has been in part thanks to sophomores Emily Green and Hillary Ferguson. Green is ranked 15th on vault while Ferguson holds the No. 18th spot on floor.

These two teams met up last season at the Texas Women's Quad meet. UK claimed the meet with a score of 196.200-192.575. Overall the Wildcats lead the series at 4-8.

Getting Ready for MACs

After their meet with UK the Falcons will be only looking to Saturday March 29th when they head to Kent State for the third time this season to compete in the Mid-American Conference Championships. The meet has been scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. The Orange and Brown end the regular season at 3-3 placing them right in the middle of the pack at fourth place.