Momentum is an important factor in any gymnast’s competition level.

And momentum is what the NIU gymnastics team (1-1 overall, 1-1 MAC) has after a big win against Western Michigan (2-2, 1-1) last week.

NIU head coach Mark Sontag and the team hope to carry over their high spirits into the meet against Ball State on Sunday at the Convocation Center.

“This team has great chemistry,” Sontag said. “The team is together. They are all focused, and they all think we can do this.”

Sontag said there are some technical things in the girls’ routines that could be better, and he hopes to fix those things before the Ball State (0-3, 0-2) matchup.

Junior Leah Johnson and freshman Holly Reichard have proven consistent in their first two meets, and are the girls to watch on Sunday. Johnson was named the MAC gymnast of the week after the WMU contest.

“Leah did a great job, and Holly is right on [Leah’s] heels,” Sontag said. “It’s nice to see that big one-two punch with a whole bunch of strong athletes around them.”