Gymnastics Suffers Sunday Setback at Kent State

KENT, Ohio - - Despite earning its second highest score of the season, the Ball State gymnastics team suffered a 196.400 to 195.875 setback to 2025 Mid-American Conference regular season champion Kent State Sunday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center.

For the first three rotations, it looked like the Cardinals (12-7; 3-2 MAC) were going to hand the Golden Flashes (11-2; 6-0 MAC) its first league loss of the season. Unfortunately, a pair of miscues on beam and Kent State's best floor rotation of the season (49.375) flipped the script and ended Ball State's bid for a third consecutive MAC regular season title.

Despite the team setback, junior Zoe Middleton took the individual all-around title with her second-best score of the season at 39.300. The effort included a 9.875 on floor, a 9.825 on beam and 9.800s on both vault and bars.

Graduate student Suki Pfister also took home the vault title, turning in her best effort of the season with a 9.925. It ties as the best individual vault score in the MAC this season and gives her a score of 9.900-or-higher on 19 of her 52 collegiate vaults, including one 10.0, one 9.975, four 9.950s, four 9.925s and nine 9.900s.

In addition, a pair of Cardinals tied for the event win on bars, with both junior Mary Rose Bellan and sophomore Ashley Szymanski earning a score of 9.850.

Overall, Ball State's student-athletes turned in 15 scores of 9.800-or-better, led by Pfister's 9.925 on vault.

ROTATION 1: BARS (49.050)
- Bellan and Szymanski would tie for the event win on bars, each earning a score of 9.850. Bellan's effort would tie her career-high for the fourth time this season.
- Middleton was not far behind, starting her all-around effort with a 9.800.
- Ball State's other three gymnasts in the lineup; sophomore Ava Molina, senior Grace Sumner and graduate student Hannah Ruthberg, all scored 9.775.

ROTATION2: VAULT (49.050)
- Pfister ran way with the vault title, with her highest score of the season to date at 9.925.
- Ruthberg and Middleton added scores of 9.825 and 9.800, respectively.
- The Cardinals also counted a 9.775 from freshman Karli Mercer and a 9.725 from sophomore Lindsay Girard.

ROTATION 3: FLOOR (49.175)
- Ball State's best rotation of the day with a team score of 49.175.
- Middleton and senior Cai Afalla tied for the team lead and for second overall on floor with scores of 9.875
- Senior Carissa Martinez was not far behind, earning a 9.825.
- Rounding out the rotation were Girard, Molina and junior Alauna Simms with scores of 9.800.

ROTATION 4: BEAM (48.600)
- Middleton, Molina and Szymanski led the way for the Cardinals on beam, tying for third overall at 9.825.
- Molina's score of 9.825 was a career-high.
- Sophomore Lindsay Fuller also turned in a countable score of 9.750.

ALL AROUND
- Middleton was the meet's lone all-around competitor, posting her second-highest score of the season at 39.300.

UP NEXT
The Ball State gymnastics team closes the 2025 regular season Friday, when it travels to Eastern Michigan for a 6 p.m. league dual.

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Players Mentioned

Cai Afalla

Cai Afalla

Mary Rose Bellan

Lindsay Fuller

Lindsay Fuller

Lindsay Girard

Lindsay Girard

Carissa Martinez

Karli Mercer

Karli Mercer

Zoe Middleton

Ava Molina

Suki Pfister

Hannah Ruthberg

Hannah Ruthberg

Alauna Simms

Alauna Simms

Grace Sumner

Ashley Szymanski