After registering its highest meet score of the season in the first of two outings scheduled in California, the Huskie women’s gymnastics team’s voyage to the West Coast looked promising.

But, a third-place finish at California State University- Fullerton last Friday left coach Bobbie Cesarek and her Huskie tumblers with high aspirations for the closing meets of the season.

NIU tallied for a 186.05 team total in Fullerton after losing two full points on falls in the opening event of the meet. The Huskies turned in a 188.60 three days earlier in Santa Barbara.

“We started on beam and threw away two points (on falls),” Cesarek said. “So when you think about that it’s sort of a hard pill to swallow.

“We just could not stay on the beam and it’s awfully hard to come out of a hole that deep. But we still have two meets to go so we’re hoping to put some high scores up on the board.”

“I know we have the experience and the talent but for some reason we’re just not putting it all together.”

The Huskies return to action this Friday when they take on the University of Illinois in Champaign.