Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm’s Paige Kalis competes on the uneven bars during the Eagles meet against Martin County West Area Friday in New Ulm. For more photos of this event go to cu.nujournal.com

By Jeremy Behnke

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM — The New Ulm gymnastics team had a goal set at the beginning of the season that it wanted to get back to the Big South Conference meet, which is reserved for the top teams in the conference.

On Friday night, the Eagles clinched that berth for the meet.

The Eagles once again had an impressive performance, this time defeating Martin County Area 138.65-137.625 in Big South Conference action at the New Ulm Area Gymnastics Academy on Friday.

The score of 138.65 just missed New Ulm’s season high of 138.7. With the regular season winding down, it was a good way for the Eagles to carry some momentum into the postseason.

“We were doing really well, we clinched a spot in the conference tourney and now we don’t have to stress on Monday (when the Eagles travel to Waseca) about making the tournament,” New Ulm coach Kortney Peterson said. “We’re looking really good for sections.”

The Eagles were led by Sarah Longtin in the all-around. She finished second overall behind MCA’s Sabrina Segar. Segar had an all-around score of 35.975, just ahead of Longtin’s 34.475. New Ulm’s Kaylee Hutchinson finished third with a score of 26.7 and her teammate Michelle Rosenhamer was fourth overall with a 26.275. New Ulm’s Erika Ebert was sixth overall with a 25.250.

Longtin was second in vault with an 8.874 and fifth in the bars with an 8.1. She finished first on the floor exercise with a 9.2.

Hutchinson was third in the vault (8.8) and third in the beam (8.925). She finished fifth in floor (8.975). Kelsi Miller was fourth in the vault (8.75) and second in the bars (8.375) and Rosenhamer was fifth in the vault (8.675) and tied for third in the floor (9.025).

Emma Gauert was fourth in the bars with an 8.15.

The Eagles travel to Waseca on Monday for a Big South meet. It felt especially good to beat a good Martin County Area team on Friday.

“The team as a whole had an amazing night,” Peterson said. “Martin County had a great night too. We both were hitting our routines, our scores were just a little bit better. But I think our team did awesome as a whole.”