Muncie Reporter

Gymnastics Opens Season With Strong Showing at No. 2 Florida

The Ball State gymnastics team opened the 2023 season with a solid showing Friday evening, tallying a team score of 194.100 in a quad meet hosted by No. 2 Florida at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
 
The score was the second-best in a season-opening meet in program history, trailing only the 194.475 set at Kentucky to open the 2018 campaign, and earned the Cardinals the head-to-head victory over Lindenwood (193.125).
 
"Our team performed really well on vault and floor, which is what we have been training to do and exactly where we need to be," head coach Joanna Saleem said. "Starting the season on beam in a sold-out arena with a very high energy level took, it took us a little time to adjust and settle in. But once we did, we were able to do the gymnastics we have been training to do."
 
The host and second-ranked Gators won the meet with a score of 197.750, while No. 33 West Virginia scored 194.925 to also top Ball State and Lindenwood.
 
Overall, Ball State finished the meet with seven scores of 9.800-or-better, led by another strong performance from junior Suki Pfister on vault. 
 
Pfister opened the season with a 9.875 to place third overall on vault, including topping four of the six Florida competitors, including eight-time All-American Leanna Wong. Pfister also shined in her first career appearance in the floor lineup, scoring a 9.825.
 
Juniors Hannah Ruthberg and Victoria Henry also tallied a pair of scores at-or-above 9.800 in solid all-around performances. Ruthberg tied her career-high with a 9.825 on vault, while Henry registered Ball State's second-best individual score of the day with a 9.850 on floor.
  

Original source can be found here.