Despite the season-high road score earned by the No.19 ISU gymnasts, it was still not enough to defeat rival No. 16 Iowa, as the Cyclones fell 195.200-195.450.

Iowa State (7-4-1, 1-2 Big 12) was “surprisingly solid” in the vault, floor and bars events, ISU coach Jay Ronayne said, but balance beam proved to be problematic for the Cyclones as the team had to count a fall in that event.

Freshman Michelle Shealy was the last Cyclone to compete in the beam and fell in her routine, forcing the team to count a fall made earlier in the competition. According to Ronayne, the fall by Shealy may have been due to some lingering pain in her ankle as she had twisted it while warming up for the vault competition.

With Shealy forced out of the vault lineup, freshman Hailey Johnson quickly substituted for her, scoring a 9.650. Shealy also missed the floor competition, which allowed freshman Henrietta Green to be put into the lineup for the first time this season. The San Bernardino, Calif. native scored a 9.075, and had a fall in her first event. Ronayne was pleased with how Green was able to put forth the kind of effort she did to try to help her team win.

“She has now had some experience in an actual competition, and we fully expect her to perform next time without falling,” Ronayne said.

The Cyclones proved to be tough competition for the Hawkeyes in the vault competition as ISU junior Michelle Browning took home the title, scoring a 9.825. Also stepping up for the Cyclones was freshman Camille Santerre-Gervais in the bars. The St. Lazare, Quebec native won the event, tying a career high of 9.900.

“I was really happy because I stuck my dismount, and this was the second meet that I did my double layout, so it was a good moment,” Santerre-Gervais said. “I just did what I do in the gym and it works.”

Iowa State will now look to move past its struggle with falling on the beam and continue to improve in the other three events. The biggest goal for the team right now is to find confidence in itself and that, they say, will be their goal for the next competition.

“We are doing so great in the gym and we are building our confidence, but now we should just show that in the meets,” Santerre-Gervais said.

The next competition for Iowa State is a rematch against No. 20 Minnesota on the Cyclones’ senior night. The dual is slated to begin at 7 p.m. Friday.