Guida ties for fourth on uneven bars

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Kent State gymnastics team concluded the 2012 season Saturday with the team's sixth-place finish at the N.C. State Regional of the 2012 NCAA Gymnastics Championship. The Golden Flashes posted a team score of 193.575.

Kent State was without its top all-around performer, sophomore Marie Case (Erie, Pa.), who was a late scratch, meaning alternates needed to fill in on short notice. 

Maybe because of the late lineup changes, the Golden Flashes struggled to get off with a solid start, as the team posted a 48.350 on the balance beam. After a bye, Kent State then had to count a low score on the way to a 48.000 score on the floor routine.

Four gymnasts posted 9.675s on the balance beam, including late lineup addition freshman Nicole Radon (Hamburg, N.Y.). Junior Lauren Wozniak (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had a team-best 9.800 on the floor exercise. At a time Kent State needed its best performances of the season, none of the team's individual scores for the beam or floor were among the team's season top 20 scores.

Kent State then posted a 48.900 on the vault, led by a 9.850 freshman Whitnee Johnson(Columbia, Mo.), which tied a season-high and was tied for 11^th at the regional. Junior Rachel Guida(Cumberland, R.I.) tallied a 9.800 for the second-best team score, which tied for 21^st.

The Golden Flashes wrapped up on the uneven bars, where the squad combined for a 48.325. Guida led Kent State with a 9.850, which was good for a tie for fourth overall and tied for her career best. It was the lone top 10 finish for the Golden Flashes in individual standings.

The meet marked the final intercollegiate competition for Kent State's four seniors: Jaimee Caldwell, Rachel Goldenberg, Erin Rothrock and Brianna Skiffington.