The nationally-ranked Illinois State womens gymnastics team was edged out for top honors at the Cardinal Classic by host school Ball State Friday in Muncie.
The Cardinals scored a 194.425 to outdistance previously unbeaten Illinois States 194.00 mark. Central Michigan finished third with a 191.800 score. The victories extend BSUs home winning streak to 18, dating back through the 1999 campaign.
Illinois State was led, once again, by the trio of Heather Mohler, Denise Houda and Michelle Huston, which claimed first, third and fourth-place honors respectively in the all-around competition. However, unlike the Birds two previous meets this season, ISU head coach Jill Hollembeak did not receive support throughout the lineup needed to pull out a victory over BSU.
The meet went down to the wire and was decided with the evenings final event. Ball State trailed Illinois State the entire meet, but a school-record 49.400 mark on floor catapulted the Cardinals to first place.
Illinois State claimed team victories on the vault, with a score of 48.525, and on the bars with a 48.475. But the Redbirds saw their lead evaporate with a third place-finish on the beam and a second-place finish on the floor.
Heather Mohler led the Redbird charge on the vault with a 9.775, good enough to earn a second place tie with Ball States Kim Cromer. Sarah Anderson, Rena Fox and Michelle Huston finished in a three-way tie for fourth place with a 9.700.
Annie Chapman led the way for the Birds on the uneven parallel bars as she tied for third place with a score of 9.725. Kristy Kreinbrink, Dana Luther and Heather Mohler tied for fifth place with a score of 9.700.
The beam, a normally dependable rotation for the Birds, turned out to be the turning point of the meet as ISU notched a 47.925 to finish in third-place for the event. Heather Mohler was the highest-placing Redbird with a 9.725 and a fifth-place finish.
The Cardinals record-setting floor performance was aided by sophomore Jenny Taylor, Bodus and junior Miesha Williams. Taylor tied for second with a 9.925 mark, which ties for third on BSUs all-time charts. Bodus finished fourth with a 9.875, while Williams turned in the top performance of her career with a 9.850 to tie for fifth.
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