Falcons to Host Eastern Michigan in Two Dual Meets
2/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 28, 2011
The Air Force women's gymnastics team returns to the Academy this week for a pair of home meets against Eastern Michigan. The Falcons and Eagles will first face off on Wednesday, March 2, before meeting again on Saturday, March 5, for Senior Night. Both matches will begin at 6 p.m., at the Cadet West Gymnasium.
Meet Notes 09: vs. Eastern Michigan 
SENIOR SALUTE
During Saturday's competition, Air Force will honor its three senior gymnasts - Holland Davis, Brittany Dutton, Lisa Wong - and its senior manager, Ashley Green.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Michigan is coming off of third-place finish (191.475) at the Central Michigan Quad meet on Feb. 24. The Eagles currently hold a regional qualifying average of 190.325 to rank 53rd in the nation ... and just ahead of the Falcons' 56th-place RQS of 189.715. Nikole Viltz leads EMU with the squad's top averages on the vault (9.761) and balance Beam (9.421). Brittany Cassar (uneven bars, 9.625) and Stacie Wood (floor exercise, 9.550) are the Eagles' other two leaders.
LAST TIME WE MET
Air Force dropped a 191.500-188.175 decision to Eastern Michigan on Feb. 19. Lisa Wong tied for first on the balance beam (9.550) and Jen Larsen was the runner-up on the floor exercise with a career-best matching score of 9.625.
CONFERENCE ROUNDUP
As of Feb. 22, Air Force ranked third in the MPSF, with a regional qualifying average of 189.340. Individually, Brittany Dutton ranked second on the vault (9.630 RQS) and all-around (37.755), while standing third on the uneven bars (9.9.630) and fifth on the floor exercise (9.645). Linnaea Hance ranked third on the balance beam (9.475) and fifth on the uneven bars (9.575), while Samantha Jones ranked fourth on the vault (9.595) and Lisa Wong ranked sixth on the beam (9.425). (Updated standings won't be released until Tuesday, March 1).
FALCONS EDGE SPU IN CONFERENCE DUAL
Air Force edged Seattle Pacific by .200 to collect its season dual meet win of the season. Air Force, 2-0 on the year against the other Falcons in the MPSF, won by a narrow 188.475-188.275 margin on Feb. 25 on SPU's home court.
HAWTHORNE WINS DEBUT ON BARS
In her collegiate debut on the uneven bars, Katie Hawthorne accumulated a score of 9.675 to win the event at Seattle Pacific on Feb. 25. Hawthorne, the Falcons' only event winner of the night, was joined among the top three by Samantha Jones, Jessica Hanner and Linnaea Hance, who all tied for third with matching scores of 9.575.
BIG NIGHT ON BEAM
Air Force claimed four of the top six spots on the balance beam at Seattle Pacific on Feb. 25. Jessica Hanner was the Falcons' top finisher, placing second with a score of 9.600. Linnaea Hance finished with a score of 9.500, while Jen Larsen (9.450) and Brittany Dutton (9.150) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force returns to Seattle on Friday, March 11, for a tri-meet with No. 11 Washington and Seattle Pacific. This will be the final road meet of the season for the Falcons.
Players Mentioned
