The women’s gymnastics team picked up its first, first-place finish of the year with a team score of 193.85, defeating Air Force (192.25), Northern Illinois (192.075) and Temple (190.725) Saturday at the 9th annual Eagle Invitational in the Convocation Center.
The Eagles managed to pull out this win on the 30th year of coaching for Steve Wilce.
“Not only did we win tonight, but we guaranteed that we would finish the season with a winning record on the year coming out with a 10-7 record tonight with a very young team that has been improving week after week,” Wilce said.
“We led throughout all of the night, but being even is always an equalizer and keeps you on your toes. We have been on a roller coaster all this year and each week we have been getting better and improving and we have finally started to hit our
stride and we are starting to hit our peak.”
The Eagles carried a lead through all four rounds and had many strong top performers during the night with freshman Anna Willette, sophomore Miranda Jarvis and seniors Stacy Wood and Kristen Yourick.
Willette and Jarvis opened the night well on the vault in the first round, posting a score of 9.7 and giving the team an early lead.
“It has been really exciting because we have really been working hard all season long and have been doing good in all our performances, and it finally paid off with a win tonight,” Willtette said.
On the bars, Willette and Wood continued the team’s success, each posting first place points with a 9.8.
“We competed with a lot of passion and spirit tonight,” Wood said. “It was great to finally pull out a win at a meet at home. I’m so proud of all my teammates.”
The team went into the floor routine with a lead, and Yourick put in a clutch performance to wrap up the meet and her final home meet with a first place showing with a 9.850.
“Steve calls me the win-it kid for the home meets,” Yourick said. “It is such a great feeling to finish out the meet on the floor routine with a big score wrapping up a win for my team.”
The team will finish up the season before the MAC championship at 4 p.m. Saturday versus Bowling Green University in Ohio.
