Gymnasts set personal bests

The Flames host their home opener Feb. 11. (Photo: Steve Woltmann)

The women’s gymnastics team set or tied 12 personal season high scores on individual events, and two more in the all-around, in a strong showing Friday at the UC Davis – West Virginia tri-meet in Davis, California.

The Flames placed all six gymnasts in the top nine on the bars and scored a 9.775. A team season high score on the bars put the Flames in first place after three rotations, but they could not sustain their momentum on the balance beam and took third place. The team’s overall score of 193.025 was their second highest of the season. West Virginia, with 195.050, finished first, and the host Aggies scored 194.200.

“We were leading two great teams going into the last event, but could not close the deal,” co-head coach Peter Jansson said.  “After losing Alli Broad to an injury in warm-ups, the team bounced back strong. We are getting closer every weekend.”

The Flames will be on the road for the fifth straight meet this week, facing Eastern Michigan at 5 p.m. Friday. The team’s home opener will be Feb. 11 versus Northern Illinois.