Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. In gymnastics, close is the difference between winning and losing. The Ball State University gymnastics team learned that lesson the hard way yet again. The team was one fall on the balance beam short of a perfect meet – being able to count 20 clean routines – as it lost to Illinois State University (194.15-193.925) Friday night.
Ball State posted a score of 192.85. However, the Cardinals' season-high team score was not enough to overcome the host Wildcats, who had a near flawless day to win the event with a score of 195. New Hampshire won each event to take the team title. Ball State finished in second in the uneven bars, the balance beam and the floor exercise.
At approximately 950 miles away, the trip to Durham, N.H. from Muncie represents the farthest that the squad will be away from its nest this season. The extended travel will be unique for the team. The Cardinals will fly to the meet, which allows the team to take only its competitors, coach Nadalie Walsh said.
Coach Nadalie Walsh is trying to answer one question."It's still early, but where are we as a team?" she said.Walsh hopes to find answers this Saturday when the Ball State University women's gymnastics team hosts the University of Kentucky in an exhibition meet at 1 p.m. in Worthen Arena. This will be the first exhibition meet that the Cardinals have held during Walsh's tenure. In previous seasons, the team has held an intrasquad exhibition to prepare for the regular season, she said.
The Ball State University gymnastics team has announced the signing of two gymnasts as part of the 2010-2011 freshman class.Kayla Hani and Leah Wilson signed their national letters of intent last week, according to a Ball State press release.
The Ball State University gymnastics team will head to East Lansing, Mich., Sunday for a 2 p.m. meeting with Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley. The Cardinals (3-9, 1-5 Mid-American Conference) enter the meet averaging a team score of 191.
