Raising the bar is what NIU gymnastics is all about.

The team has not lost a meet since Jan. 20, and is sitting on a five-meet win streak going into Eastern Michigan this Sunday.

EMU is hosting NIU, along with the Air Force and Illinois State, in the Eagle Invitational.

“Our team spirit right now is really good,” said Sontag. “We are confident and we know we can do the skills. We are still working on the fine-tuning, but it’s a great place to be right now.”

Gymnasts Leah Johnson and Holly Reinchard have been key to the team’s success. According to their coach their attitudes have helped the team stay determined and successful.

Sontag said he hopes the team will continue their winning ways by staying focused and eliminating distractions at the invitational. With four teams competing simultaneously, the girls face an unfamiliar order when performing in events.

“The host team will always start on vault in duel meets,” Sontag said. “But when we go to a quad meet, we can start on any of the three other events. The sequence of events is always different.”

Despite the differences, Sontag said that multiple team meets are a good way to prepare the girls for championships and state regionals. Though on a smaller scale, the girls are able to experience competition at a higher level.

“We are going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Sontag said. “It’s a case of don’t fix something that is not broken.”