Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 6
State College, Pa.
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
192.900
at
194.275
Penn State
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Eagles Drop Season Opener Against Penn State
1/6/2018 6:54:00 PM | Gymnastics
Three freshmen debuted in the first regular-season meet of 2018
Complete Results
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team fell in its season opener, 194.275-192.900, against Penn State University Saturday, Jan. 6, in State College, Pa.
The Eagles saw two gymnasts take home event titles as redshirt senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y.-Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) notched a 9.850 to win bars and sophomore Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) posted a 9.800 on floor, which tied a career-high and earned her a share of the title. Dobronics was also one-of-two student-athletes to compete in the all-around, as her and junior Megan Hultgren (White Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) competed in each event, earning scores of 38.000 and 38.600, respectively.
Eastern began its day on bars with Dobronics getting things started with a 9.550. Hultgren and redshirt sophomore Carly Clark (White Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) followed Dobronics with scores of 9.600 and 8.700, respectively. Performing fourth for the Eagles was freshman Cortney Bezold (Maineville, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick), who notched a 9.450 for her first routine in a NCAA regular season meet. Senior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J.-Holmdel) began her impressive day with a 9.750, which was followed by event-anchor Rubin, who claimed the event-title with a 9.850. EMU's team score following the conclusion of all performances sat at 48.500 as they headed to vault.
Vault proved to be the best event of the day for the Eagles, as they tallied their highest event team score of the day with a 48.500. Junior Jules Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz.-Mesquite) and redshirt freshman Allison Smith (Telford, Pa.-Souderton) kicked things off for EMU on vault, both notching scores of 9.625. Hultgren posted her best event score of the day with an impressive performance, nabbing a 9.775 to tie the team-high in the event. Dobronics followed Hultgren with a 9.700, while junior Ciara Gresham (Shiloh, Ill.-Belleville) started her day by earning a 9.025 performing fifth in the lineup. Valentin matched Hultgren's team-high with a 9.775, which also served as the highest score of the day for the Holmdel, N.J. native.
Floor saw the Eagles' second-best team score of the evening, as they marked a 48.475 behind Dobronics' 9.800, which earned her a share of the event title. Freshman Jada Rondeau (Norwood Young America, Minn.-Central) had an impressive showing in her first regular-season performance donning the Green and White, as she notched the team's second-best score with a 9.775. Fellow freshman Megan Benzie (Roanoke, Va.-Cave Spring) also competed in her first regular-season event as a member of EMU, as she posted a 9.400. Gresham improved upon her first performance by notching a 9.650, while Hultgren and Marino were each awarded scores 9.625. With just the beam left, the running score remained in favor of PSU, 145.850-145.175.
The Eagles struggled in their last event of the day, as Eastern walked away from beam with a team score of 47.725. Rubin notched a team-high 9.775, which was good enough for the meet's second-best score in the event. Additionally, Rondeau rounded out her impressive collegiate debut with a 9.750, which was right behind Rubin for third place.
The Green and White return to competition Saturday, Jan. 13, as it hosts MAC-rival Central Michigan University in the Convocation Center for the home opener. Competition is slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Team Results
Penn State 194.275
Eastern Michigan 192.900
EMU Individual Results
Vault
4 Megan Hultgren 9.775
4 Kendall Valentin 9.775
7 Emili Dobronics 9.700
10 Jules Schwartz 9.625
10 Allison Smith 9.625
12 Ciara Gresham 9.025
Uneven Bars
1 Lacey Rubin 9.850
4 Kendall Valentin 9.750
7 Megan Hultgren 9.600
9 Emili Dobronics 9.550
10 Cortney Bezold 9.450
12 Carly Clark 8.700
Balance Beam
2 Lacey Rubin 9.775
3 Jada Rondeau 9.750
7 Megan Hultgren 9.600
9 Megan Marino 9.500
10 Kendall Valentin 9.100
11 Emili Dobronics 8.950
Floor
1 Emili Dobronics 9.800
3 Jada Rondeau 9.775
5 Ciara Gresham 9.650
7 Megan Hultgren 9.625
7 Megan Marino 9.625
12 Megan Benzie 9.400
All-Around
5 Megan Hultgren 38.600
6 Emili Dobronics 38.000
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team fell in its season opener, 194.275-192.900, against Penn State University Saturday, Jan. 6, in State College, Pa.
The Eagles saw two gymnasts take home event titles as redshirt senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y.-Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) notched a 9.850 to win bars and sophomore Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) posted a 9.800 on floor, which tied a career-high and earned her a share of the title. Dobronics was also one-of-two student-athletes to compete in the all-around, as her and junior Megan Hultgren (White Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) competed in each event, earning scores of 38.000 and 38.600, respectively.
Eastern began its day on bars with Dobronics getting things started with a 9.550. Hultgren and redshirt sophomore Carly Clark (White Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) followed Dobronics with scores of 9.600 and 8.700, respectively. Performing fourth for the Eagles was freshman Cortney Bezold (Maineville, Ohio-Bishop Fenwick), who notched a 9.450 for her first routine in a NCAA regular season meet. Senior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J.-Holmdel) began her impressive day with a 9.750, which was followed by event-anchor Rubin, who claimed the event-title with a 9.850. EMU's team score following the conclusion of all performances sat at 48.500 as they headed to vault.
Vault proved to be the best event of the day for the Eagles, as they tallied their highest event team score of the day with a 48.500. Junior Jules Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz.-Mesquite) and redshirt freshman Allison Smith (Telford, Pa.-Souderton) kicked things off for EMU on vault, both notching scores of 9.625. Hultgren posted her best event score of the day with an impressive performance, nabbing a 9.775 to tie the team-high in the event. Dobronics followed Hultgren with a 9.700, while junior Ciara Gresham (Shiloh, Ill.-Belleville) started her day by earning a 9.025 performing fifth in the lineup. Valentin matched Hultgren's team-high with a 9.775, which also served as the highest score of the day for the Holmdel, N.J. native.
Floor saw the Eagles' second-best team score of the evening, as they marked a 48.475 behind Dobronics' 9.800, which earned her a share of the event title. Freshman Jada Rondeau (Norwood Young America, Minn.-Central) had an impressive showing in her first regular-season performance donning the Green and White, as she notched the team's second-best score with a 9.775. Fellow freshman Megan Benzie (Roanoke, Va.-Cave Spring) also competed in her first regular-season event as a member of EMU, as she posted a 9.400. Gresham improved upon her first performance by notching a 9.650, while Hultgren and Marino were each awarded scores 9.625. With just the beam left, the running score remained in favor of PSU, 145.850-145.175.
The Eagles struggled in their last event of the day, as Eastern walked away from beam with a team score of 47.725. Rubin notched a team-high 9.775, which was good enough for the meet's second-best score in the event. Additionally, Rondeau rounded out her impressive collegiate debut with a 9.750, which was right behind Rubin for third place.
The Green and White return to competition Saturday, Jan. 13, as it hosts MAC-rival Central Michigan University in the Convocation Center for the home opener. Competition is slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Team Results
Penn State 194.275
Eastern Michigan 192.900
EMU Individual Results
Vault
4 Megan Hultgren 9.775
4 Kendall Valentin 9.775
7 Emili Dobronics 9.700
10 Jules Schwartz 9.625
10 Allison Smith 9.625
12 Ciara Gresham 9.025
Uneven Bars
1 Lacey Rubin 9.850
4 Kendall Valentin 9.750
7 Megan Hultgren 9.600
9 Emili Dobronics 9.550
10 Cortney Bezold 9.450
12 Carly Clark 8.700
Balance Beam
2 Lacey Rubin 9.775
3 Jada Rondeau 9.750
7 Megan Hultgren 9.600
9 Megan Marino 9.500
10 Kendall Valentin 9.100
11 Emili Dobronics 8.950
Floor
1 Emili Dobronics 9.800
3 Jada Rondeau 9.775
5 Ciara Gresham 9.650
7 Megan Hultgren 9.625
7 Megan Marino 9.625
12 Megan Benzie 9.400
All-Around
5 Megan Hultgren 38.600
6 Emili Dobronics 38.000
Players Mentioned
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