Falcons Prepare for Eagle Invitational
3/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 6, 2008
For the third time in an 11-day span, the Air Force women's gymnastics team will face Eastern Michigan in competition. After a pair of meets at the Academy, the Falcons will travel to the Eagles' stomping grounds on Saturday, March 8, for the five-team Eagle Invitational. Air Force and Eastern Michigan will face programs from Brown, Illinois State and Northern Illinois.
Meet Notes 07: at Eagle Invitational 
WHEN LAST WE MET
Air Force went 0-2 to Eastern Michigan over the weekend, but posted its top two team scores of the season. The 189.500 total from Wednesday's meet is the highest score for the Falcons since the 2005 season.
GOING BY RANK
Junior Abigail Rogers currently leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in the all-around with a regional qualifying average of 37.925. Rogers actually holds three top-10 placements within the league. She is ranked third on the floor exercise with a 9.660 average and 10th on the balance beam with a 9.425 mark. Air Force boasts two top-10 athletes on the balance beam, as sophomore Kayla Kincade is eighth with a 9.445 average. Senior Kelly Lewis rounds out the Falcons with a 10th-place vault average of 9.575.
SENIOR SALUTE
Following the Feb. 29 meet with Eastern Michigan, the Falcons honored their two senior gymnasts - Katie Donnell and team captain Kelly Lewis. The duo, which has seen three coaching changes during their four-year career, has been the backbone of this young squad.
FLOORING THE COMPETITION
Highlighted by four of the top six spots on the floor exercise, Air Force improved its team score on that event during its second dual meet with Eastern Michigan on Feb. 29. Kelly Lewis led the Falcons on the floor with a third-place score of 9.725 (a mark just .050 off of her career high). Michelle Denise finished fourth (9.600), while Katie Donnell and Brittany Dutton tied for fifth with matching scores of 9.575. As a team, the Falcons accounted for a score of 48.025 on the floor. That mark displaces the previous season-best score of 47.650 that Air Force tallied two weeks ago.
SCORING LIKE ITS 2005
With a total of 189.500 in the first of two dual meets with Eastern Michigan on Feb. 27, the Falcons tallied its best combined team score since the 2005 season. During the meet, Air Force improved its season-best marks on the vault (48.275) and balance beam (47.875).
DUTTON DOES IT AGAIN
Against the Eagles on Feb. 27, the Falcons best finish of the night came from freshman Brittany Dutton, who tied for third on the vault with a career-best 9.725. Dutton also paced Air Force on the floor exercise (career-best 9.525, fourth) and all around. Her second-place all-around score of 38.425 is not only a one-point personal best, but it is the top combined score on the team this season.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force will travel to Anchorage, Alaska, on March 14-16, for a pair of dual meets with Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foe, Alaska-Anchorage.
Players Mentioned
