It doesn’t get much closer than this! Conference rivals Ball State and Kent State are set to clash on the Golden Flashes’ senior night, with a showdown that’s expected to come down to the final routine. Will the Cardinals build on last weekend’s conference-best performance, or will Kent State defend its perfect home record in 2025?
Zoe Middleton has been the driving force for Ball State this season, collecting multiple conference honors and posting 9.9+ scores on three events in her junior campaign. She’s backed by familiar MAC standouts, including fifth-year Hannah Ruthberg and sophomore bars phenom Ashley Szymanski. Senior Cai Afalla has emerged as a key contributor on vault and floor, while sophomore Delaney McMahon has settled into a consistent role on beam.
Kent State faces its first meet without Nene Alvine, who began recovery this week after suffering an Achilles injury at Bowling Green on Sunday. Her absence marks the team’s second Achilles tear this season, testing the Golden Flashes’ depth as they look to fill a major gap in their lineups. Upperclassmen leadership will be crucial, with extra weight falling on seniors Alyssa Guns and Brynne Tsipis to help guide the team in this pivotal matchup.
Rotation 1: Kent State VT, Ball State UB
Migliore (KSU): Y full with a solid flare in her post flight, small pike down and hop back. 9.700
Molina (BSU): starts off with her toe handstand, maloney to Pak series, leg separation in her Pak but keeps momentum. hitting her handstands without any question into a stuck double layout. 9.775
Riley (KSU): pretty similar Y full to Migliore in the leadoff. hops back and takes full advantage of the allowed leg separation in her landing. 9.750
Sumner (BSU): Maloney to Pak with her legs glued, then back up for her toe full to nearly stuck double tuck. Great first outing today for the senior! 9.775
Morgan (KSU): cleanest of the Y fulls so far today, low chest on her landing and takes a hop but very clean in the air. 9.750
Middleton (BSU): toe hs Maloney to bail handstand, small leg separation but recovers easily. nearly sticks her blind full to double tuck, takes the smallest of hops backward. 9.800
Compson (KSU): two big steps back out of her Y full, to compensate for her pike down. 9.725
Bellan (BSU): attacking her handstands! Maloney to bail handstand right at vertical, then flares and STICKS her double layout. 9.850
Rudnitskaya (KSU): another big Y full, leg separation in her preflight and then absolutely cranks around the twist in her postflight. 9.800
Ruthberg (BSU): big Ray to overshoot, a tad short of horizontal. she’s muscling her handstands today, and is still able to take it to an open FTDLO. 9.775
Behner (KSU): a definite end-of-lineup Y full, with a solid fight to hold her stick. should be the high scorer of the night, if not the outright highest. 9.850
Szymanski (BSU): blind fill to her signature Geinger and bail with her legs glued throughout. takes one step on her blind full double tuck, going well above the bar. 9.850
Bingman (KSU): exhibition — Y full with a small hop back and the shoulder width landing stance. if Kent State is anything on vault, it’s consistent with it’s form and landing techniques. 9.725
Phillis (BSU): exhibition — blind half to a big piked Jaeger, equally powerful Pak before getting back up to the high bar. nearly stuck double layout, ultimately taking two steps back. 9.700
Mercer (BSU): exhibition — toe hs to Deltchev! very calm in her handstands, then wins a big fight to hit vertical again after her Pak. basically does a press handstand, then continues business as usual to nail her blind full to double tuck! 9.675
After 1: Ball State 49.050, Kent State 48.875
Just about as even as it could have been, with Kent State having a full lineup of 9.95 start values in the first rotation. Led by Behner on vault (and likely again on bars), the Golden Flashes will have to dial in on landings at bars to gain back tenths against the Cardinals. Ball State’s bars specialists set the pace for their team with a pair of 9.850’s from Bellan and Szymanski, with the latter being the sole MAC gymnast to be in the top 40 individually by NQS as of week 9.
Rotation 2: Ball State VT, Kent State UB
Afalla (BSU): bent elbows on the table cut a good amount of her height, but she still pulls around her Y full and keeps it within one hop backward on landing. 9.700
Tsipis (KSU): attacks her first handstand, blind half to Jaeger then isolates her Pak. clean through the interior, she goes to her blind full and stuck double tuck. Great senior day debut! 9.850
Mercer (BSU): Y full on pike, travels it sideways and takes one hop. 9.775
Balko (KSU): toe hs to Maloney Pak series without any form breaks. big fight to save her clear hip, then takes it to her toe on front pike half. low chest on her landing, but keeps it up. a strong fight for her second routine on the season! 9.725
Girard (BSU): front handspring pike half, squats but keeps it to her feet. 9.725
Behner (KSU): toe hs Maloney to bail hs, hitting vertical on both. she launches her stalder to double tuck well above the bar, and no question sticks her dismount cold. 9.850
Ruthberg (BSU): very technically sound Y full, takes a hop back. 9.825
Marques (KSU): wins the fight on her opening handstand, then muscles her Maloney to pak series. she uses every muscle in her feet to hold the stick on her DLO. 9.700
Pfister (BSU): one step back on her fhs pike half, with the interior looking very similar to her vaults the last four seasons! 9.925
Schultz (KSU): clear hip to Shaposhnikova and bail handstand, very calm throughout. cranks up for her double layout, squats it and takes a hop forward to stay up. 9.775
Middleton (BSU): Y full with a massive block, hops back and should also score high. 9.800
Rudnitskaya (KSU): blind half to her piked Jaeger well over the bar, then through her Pak without any timing issues. short final handstand, but takes it to a stuck DLO all the same. 9.825
Phillis (BSU): exh — sticks her Y full, not twisting full speed as she works back towards her Y1.5 from elite. 9.750
Migliore (KSU): exh — stomachs her blind half Jaeger, too far to grab the bar. clean bail to horizontal, then nails her handstand and takes one step back on her DLO. 8.625
After 2: Ball State 98.100, Kent State 97.900
The Cardinals ever so slightly increased their lead, thanks to fifth year Suki Pfister’s season high 9.925 in the second rotation. Kent State is very much still in it, with landings and single bar release height from Behner and Rudnitskaya keeping the team within reach of sweeping their home schedule.
Rotation 3: Kent State BB, Ball State FX
Riley (KSU): bhs loso easily, continues her momentum into a switch to split full. small hesitation and then nails her tuck jump full — very calm and continues it through her side aerial. dismounts with a stuck gainer full! 9.775
Martinez (BSU): she means business! opens with a clean fhs rudi with a small shuffle out. wolf leap to switch side gets her to the second corner — front layout front full. she’s having fun with the dance, and is interacting with her team and the crowd alike. closes with her signature roundoff 1.5 to barani and switch split. 9.825
Morgan (KSU): front toss to bhs with the speed judges love. switch switch series takes a small check, then she regroups for a textbook beat jump to front aerial and a stuck bhs 1.5 dismount! 9.850
Molina (BSU): opens with a BIG roundoff 2.5 twist, with one step. switch half to stag jump absolutely floats, and takes her to a roundoff 1.5 punch lay. switch half to two wolf fulls go seamlessly into her ending dance. 9.800
Rankin (KSU): bhs loso fluid as ever, slight knee bends in each. switch leap to straddle 1/4 without any checks, into her cat leap to aerial. transverse split 1/2 with a low chest, but holds on. third stuck dismount in a row for the Golden Flashes, with her cat leap to gainer pike! 9.725
Girard (BSU): Back in Black, complete with the air guitar! front layout to Rudi and big Gracie Kramer-esque stretch jump. front lay front full rotates easily, as does her twisting in her switch to tour jete half. guitar makes a second appearance, right before her double tuck with a step forward. 9.800
Migliore (KSU): switch to split jump sets her tone, going into a clean bhs loso. another clean front toss beat jump, and split jump to straddle 1/4. NEARLY gets another stick, taking a tiny hop forward on her front tuck full. 9.775
Sims (BSU): a few steps out of her double tuck to start, and another large step out of her front lay front full second pass. shoutout Cai Afalla doing the entire corner choreography a few feet behind! massive Rudi to straddle closes her routine. 9.800
Guns (KSU): beat to split 3/4 as calm as it’s been all season. small check on her beat to front aerial, but keeps it in line to nail her bhs loso. switch to split get big height, as does her stuck cartwheel gainer full. 9.800
Afalla (BSU): she’s having fun with her dance, taking time before her first pass to engage the away crowd. clean through her dobule pike, and her switch side split full dance series. front layout to front full takes a big hop, but stays in bounds. then quickly into a double tuck, this time finding her landing easily. 9.875
Schultz (KSU): beat to split 3/4 and cat leap to front toss both land smoothly, as does her bhs loso. she’s truly at home on beam, sticking her bhs 1.5! Kent State needs to do an NIL deal with Elmer’s glue after this rotation! 9.925, career high!
Middleton (BSU): BIG open double tuck to start! front layout front full stays within the controlled lunge. big switch half, slightly underrotates her split full right after. big double pike, barely stays in bounds to close the rotation. 9.875
Pratola (KSU): exhibition — she’s spent so much of her college career rehabbing, that no matter what happens this routine is a big one. fights to stay on her front aerial, then repeats to credit her front aerial bhs series. very high jumps! scissor kick to aerial with another big fight, buts he wins again. dismounts with a gainer full off the side, with a step forward. 9.100
Sumner (BSU): exhibition — BIG roundoff 2.5 to stag jump, and then floats around her tour jete half in series. front layout to Rudi second pass! 9.775
Most (KSU): exhibition — slowly but surely through her front aerial to bhs. small check in her cat leap to front aerial scale, it’ll be seeing lineup time over her career in Kent no doubt. dismount with a nearly stuck piked gainer. 9.625
Pfister (BSU): exhibition — opening with a front tick through to a short double tuck, but carries on with very high switch side to Popa to wolf full series. closes out with an equally short double pike, and her flashy closing choreography. 9.675
After 3: Ball State 147.275, Kent State 147.025
The Cardinals inch forward again by another 0.25, but will have to face their weakest event to close their road meet. They’ve proven they can hit a high ceiling, but have only done so once this season. Kent State meanwhile will need to rally on floor, without sophomore Nene Alvine, to gain back 0.250 over Ball State. In this past rotation, Schultz became only the third MAC gymnast to hit the 9.925 benchmark this season on beam!
Rotation 4: Ball State BB, Kent State FX
Molina (BSU): candle mount to start the last rotation, then makes her way down the beam for her bhs loso. front toss with a small check, then covers it easily to go into her switch leap switch leap series. dismounts with a roundoff double full, with a decently sized step on the landing. 9.825
Riley (KSU): Tokyo Drift gets the floor rally efforts started, with a front tuck through to double tuck, small shuffle. switch full to split full wolf full, seamlessly into her choreo and facial expression clinic as she prepares for the second pass. closing with her fhs Rudi to loso and a big smile! 9.875
Fuller (BSU): big switch to split jump, then a cat leap to aerial with a small check. bhs bhs loso arm circles to stay on, and then her gainer full takes a small hop back. 9.750
Bingman (KSU): fhs front double full, stays well within bounds and goes almost immediately into her roundoff 1.5 front lay and leap series. closes with a textbook fhs rudi and a controlled lunge back. 9.850
Sumner (BSU): clean through her aerial bhs series to start. big fight on her front aerial, but ultimately comes off. back on very quickly and nails her switch to split jump, then sticks her roundoff 1.5 cold. 9.250
Morgan (KSU): floor debut alert! Rudi split jump, lands with her legs still apart. switch ring to tour jete half gets her to the next corner, for a big double pike and a quick breath before closing with a front lay front full. 9.875, that is how you debut!
Middleton (BSU): switch switch to split jump without a hitch, same with her bhs loso. checks on her cat to side aerial, but holds on. hops back on her front full, closing out a very steady routine. 9.825
Behner (KSU): if ever there were a time for Behner’s consistent scoring, it’s now. she blows a kiss before pass one, and wraps around her punch front double full. switch full to straddle half gets plenty of height, as does her front tuck through to double tuck! a switch half, smile, and dab close out her third hit of the night. 9.875
McMahon (BSU): easy through her switch leap series, and then ultimately off in her bhs bhs loso. very fun low to the beam work, with a chest cartwheel, and then back up for a unique gainer loso to straddle jump. she sticks her gainer full, for an otherwise clean routine. 9.225
Schultz (KSU): in her first floor routine of the season after nursing back pain, and taking in every second of it. short on her fhs front double full, stepping to the side to save it. switch side to wolf full rotate easily, and then gives the Karlie Franz Finger Guns(TM). fhs rudi loso scrapes around, then closes with a wolf full Shushunova. 9.825
Szymanski (BSU): bhs loso very fluid! switch to switch half takes a check, covered with a beat jump. fights to hold the stick on her roundoff 1.5, but steps backward. 9.825
Guns (KSU): As a senior, she gets to close out what’s looking like more like last season’s floor core. Opens with her front layout Rudi to split jump, and then switch ring to switch half with a smile plastered on. Her music picks up for her double pike, and an emotional held final pose. 9.900
Ruthberg (BSU): exhibition — bhs bhs loso with a covered up check. cat leap to switch half, slight knee bend throughout. dismounts with a college stick cartwheel gainer full. 9.800
Rudnitskaya (KSU): exhibition — double pike to open, then a big switch side to wolf full! easily through her roundoff 1.5 punch layout, small fumble on the landing but it doesn’t phase her as she goes into her double tuck shortly after. 9.825
Mercer (BSU): hello one arm bhs! clean through her switch to straddle 1/4, and her bhs 1.5 dismount. 9.775
Masse (KSU): exhibition — front tuck to double tuck, very open and upgradable. isolated wolf 1.5 into a triple jump series. half of her counting skills are jumps! closes with a big double pike. 9.850
FINAL: Kent State 196.400, Ball State 195.750
As predicted, it came down to the very end! Even if Ball State had gotten to erase a fall, Kent State’s floor strength was enough to usurp the lead with their season high 49.375. Overall, the meet was full of 9.8+ routines that’ll make for a close rematch at MAC Championships in two week’s time. With tonight’s win, Kent State outright wins the regular season conference title.
VT: Suki Pfister (Ball State): 9.925
UB: Charlie Behner (Kent State), Brynne Tsipis (Kent State), Ashley Szymanski (Ball State), Mary Rose Bellan (Ball State): 9.850
BB: Heidi Schultz (Kent State): 9.925
FX: Alyssa Guns (Ball State): 9.900
AA: Zoe Middleton (Ball State): 39.300
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Live blog by Peri Goodman
