The SPU gymnastics team bounced back from their meet two weeks ago with a score of 190.725 points to place second against top-ranked Lindenwood.
The Falcons put up a serious fight against Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Lindenwood last Friday, with two second-place finishes, one by Lena Wirth on the vault and the other by Sienna Brane on the uneven bars.
Two weeks ago, on Jan. 19, the gymnastics team went on the road to Boise and scored a record low of 186.875.
“I think the major change was that we were at home,” said first year McKenna Zimmermann. “Last weekend was our first away meet in a new arena with a bigger audience. Also we didn’t have the whole team traveling, so we didn’t have the same energy level that we usually have at Royal Brougham.”
Zimmermann was SPU’s top scorer in the Boise State meet, even though she only competed in three of the four events. However, when SPU competed last week at home, she competed in all four events which makes her an all-around competitor.
“I was excited to contribute on all four events and I felt as though I gave it my all,” she said. “Overall, I was pretty happy with my performance, and I hope to continue to contribute to the team as an all around.”
Zimmermann’s first all-around performance led her to be the teams top scorer for the second week in a row.
She earned a 9.750 in two of the four events that she performed in, floor exercise and vault. Zimmerman ranked fourth in the floor exercise and third on the vault, just behind teammate Lena Wirth. Wirth produced a career-best 9.775 vault to place second in the event.
Along with Wirth’s milestone, another milestone was achieved during the meet. Jadacie Durst made her debut with the Falcons and scored a 9.500 on floor.
“I was so happy for her because she works really hard in practice and definitely deserved to be in lineups,” Zimmermann said about Durst. “I’m proud that she hit her debut and that she received an awesome score. I can’t wait to see more routines from her”
The next meet for the club is on the road against UC Davis and San Jose State, at the same place where the team earned five falls in one meet earlier this year.
However, Zimmerman said, about competing on the road and the team’s recent difficulties, that, “I think that the layout of the Boise meet took us by surprise because there was a lot of waiting around time before you could actually compete. Also, … there were less girls from our team there, so that could have been a factor. But I believe we are capable of hitting our best scores at away meets as well, not only home meets. It just takes practice in the gym and confidence that must be carried with us to different arenas.”
