The Blugolds beat one team to take seventh place out of eight teams at the National Collegiate Gymnastic Association West Regional Meet, Friday in St. Paul, Minn.

This is the second time that Eau Claire has won against Hamline University (Minn.) this season, including the Blugold victory in a dual meet between the two teams on Feb. 16.

“We really had no expectations going into this meet,” coach Lisa McIntyre said. “This was our last meet together as a team and we really wanted to go out in style, and we did just that.”

The top four teams at the meet automatically move on to NCGA Nationals, which will be held March 23 and 24 at UW-Stout.

UW-La Crosse won the meet with a score of 183.8. UW-Oshkosh finished second with 180.875, Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) was third with 178.375, UW-River Falls was fourth with 177.7, UW-Stout took fifth with 177.65, UW-Whitewater took sixth with 172.750, Eau Claire had 169.2 and Hamline took eighth with 133.25.

“A lot of girls performed really well,” McIntyre said. “As a team we performed the best we have all season. Even though we scored higher against Texas, when I look at performance instead of scores, hands-down this was by far our best meet.”

The Blugold’s team score of 169.2 was its second highest of the season, beaten only by its school record of 173.45 in a triangular meet with the University of Oklahoma and Texas Woman’s University on Jan. 27.

Freshman Kristina Reitzel scored the second highest all-around score in school history with a 35.30. The school record of 35.6 is held by junior Jessica Pink.

Pink’s all-around score of 34.35 at this meet tied her second-best score of the season.

“When we went into the meet, we were really focusing on the details,” McIntyre said. “We focused on the little things, like pointing toes. We wanted to focus on the fine details to show what we can do.”

The Blugolds had four performances that topped 9.0. Reitzel scored above 9.0 on the balance beam and in the vault. She posted scores of 9.1 and 9.075 respectively.

The floor exercise also proved to be a high scoring event for the Blugolds with Pink taking a score of 9.225 and sophomore Erin Henrich taking a 9.075.

“Erin Henrich had an amazing floor routine and vault,” McIntyre said. “She performed the best that I’ve ever seen her do, she also scored her first nine in college.”

The Blugolds were scheduled to find out this morning if they will be represented at NCGA Nationals in Menomonie on March 23 and 24.

“I can’t really say right now who I think will make it,” McIntyre said. “We definitely have the potential to qualify.”
La Crosse, Oshkosh, Gustavus Adolphus and River Falls will attend nationals as complete teams.

“In the five years that I’ve been here this is the best team I’ve had,” McIntyre said. “They have great leadership, communication and work ethic.”

Although the this year’s squad consisted of mostly freshmen, they are looking forward to a stronger squad next season.

“We’re a young and inexperienced team,” McIntyre said. “We’re all looking to come back next year with more experience and go to nationals as a team.”