Falcons Set Season-Highs in Stroh Center

Saturday, January 30

Bowling Green, Ohio

4:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

194.525

196.125

Denver

Photo by: Christine Nelson, BGSU Marketing & Communications

January 30, 2016 | Gymnastics

By: by Alexx Klein, BGSU Athletic Communications

NCAA Final Scoresheet
All-Around Results
Event Results
Photo Gallery
Post meet interview: Kerrie Turner

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team set season-high scores on vault exercise and balance beam, as well as a season-high overall team score on Saturday at the program's first ever meet inside of the Stroh Center. The Falcons fell to No. 14 University of Denver 196.125-194.525.

"It was outstanding," said head coach Kerrie Turner. "We had so many people come together to make this event happen and it really gave the team a chance to shine, take another step forward, and it helps inspire them in their journeys along the way towards their goals."

BGSU recorded identical scores of 48.675 on vault and beam, setting new season highs on the events. The Falcons' previous bests were 48.375 and 48.400, respectively. Individuals setting season-highs on vault included freshmen Lauren De Meno (9.650), Shannon Goniwiecha (9.525) and Katie Morsefield (9.700). Senior Caroline Ellingboe set a season-high score of 9.775 on balance beam.

After losing freshmen Leslie Delgado and Julia Beyer for the season due to injury, the Falcons were forced to switch up their lineups.

"They have really tried hard to create depth in areas where we have had some setbacks, and vault would be one of them," added Turner. "We have been trying to upgrade the level of the vaults and that's the highest level of vault that we've had in a meet so far. So I think we'll continue to grow and get better. We're gaining more confidence. On balance beam, you can see, we had no falls. There's still a few little bobbles in there, but to see that we went over 194.500 and have so much more room to improve, that's a great sign for us."

Sophomore Laura Mitchell tied for first place on balance beam with a score of 9.850. This past week's Mid-American Conference gymnast of the week also placed fifth on floor exercise and competed on uneven bars.

In all-around competition, junior Lauren Feely placed second and senior Alyssa Nocella finished third. Both Falcons broke the 39.000 mark for the first time this season, and Feely's 39.125 is a career-best.

Feely tied for second on vault exercise with a 9.800, tied for third on uneven bars with a career-high 9.850, placed seventh on floor exercise with a 9.800 and scored a 9.675 on balance beam. Nocella placed second on bars with a career-high 9.875, fifth on vault with a 9.750, seventh on balance beam with a 9.700 and finished the night with a 9.675 floor routine.

Another Falcon who set a season-high was Rachel Reis. The junior earned a 9.800 on uneven bars, giving her team a much-needed boost on the event.

"I can't say enough about Rachel Reis. She had to go after two falls and she didn't look flustered at all. She got us right on track and then the back end of that lineup did a phenomenal job," Turner said.

The Orange and Brown travel to Chapel Hill next Saturday for a quad meet with the University of North Carolina, Pittsburgh and North Carolina State at 1 pm ET.