In their final home meet of the season, the Eastern Michigan gymnastics team outlasted Kent State 196.025-193.900 March 15 in the Convocation Center.
On Senior Night for the Eagles, they put on arguably their best performance of the season. Eastern Michigan led from the first rotation and never relinquished that lead. They also scored a season high on bars with 48.975 and tying a season high on beams with a 49.075.
After the meet was over, the team honored its four senior members with video tributes from the underclassmen expressing how much the outgoing teammates mean to them. Seniors Sydnee Audet, Carley Clark, Ciara Gresham and Megan Hultgren watched the tributes with their families.
The Eagles finished their dual meet portion of the season with an overall record of 6-10 and a 3-3 conference record. The Eagles have only had four home meets this season, going 3-1. Eastern Michigan is a combined 3-9 away from the Convocation Center.
On a night that was seemingly built around the outgoing seniors, it was the underclassmen that shined and led the team to a win. In the all-around competition, two Eagles had the top two scores. Emili Debronics finished with a score of 39.225, finishing just .05 points behind fellow teammate Jada Rondeau who had the highest score.
During the first rotation on the vault, Allie Smith tied for first with Kent State’s Dara Williams with a score of 9.825. The Eagles continued the quick start with Gresham and Debronics each scoring a 9.750. At the start of the second rotation, Eastern moved to the bars where Courtney Bezold led with a 9.875.
Rondeau followed right behind her with a score of 9.850. Williams looked to keep the score close for the Golden Flashes with a 9.825 performance. Going into the third rotation on the beam, the Eagles were in firm control and Rondeau once again had a large part in that.
She tied with fellow teammate Shannon Gregory for the highest score of 9.850. Kent State’s leading scorer for the beam was Abby Fletcher with a 9.775. In the final rotation, Debronics was the final performer on the floor and she put an exclamation point on the evening by scoring a 9.900, the highest individual score of the night.
For Kent State’s floor performance, Jade Brown and Madison Trott each had a score of 9.800.
Katie Minasola and her team were not made available for comment after the meet.
While the dual meet season is now over for the Eagles, their year is far from over. Eastern Michigan will take part in the MAC Championships March 23 on Northern Illinois’ campus in Dekalb, Illinois.
