Gymnastics weekend preview
This weekend’s Eagle Invitational at Eastern Michigan gives No. 13 Missouri an opportunity to continue their dominance over teams from the state of Michigan.
So far this season the Tigers have beaten Michigan State (twice) and Western Michigan, and Saturday night they get a shot at Central and Eastern Michigan.
In this their third quad meet in a row, Missouri also will take on the Kent State Golden Flashes.
Here’s a look at how the Tiger’s opponents have shaped up thus far in 2009.
No. 24 Kent State: The Golden Flashes sport an overall record of 9-3 and have scored as high as 196.150 this season, passing 196.000 in two of their last three meets.
They are coming off a victory over Southeast Missouri State last Friday that saw them post a 196.025 and junior Lydia Barrett put up career-highs in the vault (9.925) and floor (9.900).
Kent State leads the MAC with a 4-0 conference record
Eastern Michigan: The home team in this weekend’s meet finds itself at .500 on the year with a record of 6-6.
Coming off two straight wins over Seattle Pacific last week, the Eagles managed to string together their first back-to-back dual meet wins of 2009.
Their highest team score of the season was 193.325, accomplished in a win over Ball State on February 15.
Central Michigan: The Chippewas take a 9-2 record and two meet win streak into Saturday’s meet.
Their season-high score is 195.350 and they have cracked the 195.000 their last two meets.
Against these trio of MAC teams Missouri looks bounce back to the 196.000 team score level and improve their record against teams from the “Great Lake State” to 5-0.
In search of her eighth all-around title, junior Sarah Shire and the Tigers will hit the mats at 7 pm.