No. 28 Western Michigan Gymnastics Edged at No. 23 Kent State
Kent State (4-2, 1-0 MAC) was voted to finish first in the conference, as well as win the MAC Championships, while WMU (3-1, 1-1 MAC) was slated to finish second. The Golden Flashes' win avenged their 192.650 to 192.025 loss in Kalamazoo last year.
Freshman Jessi Buis had Western Michigan's only first-place finish, tying KSU's Chelsea Drooger with a 9.850 on vault. It was Buis' first career title. Senior Lauren Bledsoe came in fourth with a 9.800 and senior Brittany Adams recorded a career-high 9.775, placing sixth.
Vault happened to be the Broncos' best event and the only competition they outscored Kent State. Western Michigan recorded its second highest score in school history with a 48.950, while KSU went 48.850. WMU set the school vault record last year against Ball State with a 49.175.
Bledsoe also finished second on the floor exercise, tallying a 9.875. Senior Caroline O'Brien turned in a runner-up finish on balance beam with a 9.750 and took third on the uneven bars with a 9.850.
Kent State's Marie Case won the all-around title (39.200) and was the individual champion on beam (9.800) and floor (9.925). Freshman Kayla Weber was WMU's lone all-arounder and totaled a 38.775.
The Broncos travel to Morgantown, W.V., for their next meet, Feb. 1, and will face West Virginia, Oklahoma and William & Mary.
