Gymnastics: WVU Ties for Second at EAGL's
March 25, 2005 09:49 PM | General
March 25, 2005
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RALEIGH, N.C. – Scoring higher than 195.0 for only the third time this season, the West Virginia University gymnastics team executed a strong showing at the 2005 East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championships Friday night at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C. The Mountaineers compiled a 195.2 finishing in a second-place tie with Maryland and placing behind EAGL champion North Carolina’s first-place score of 195.975.
North Carolina and West Virginia were Nos. 1 and 2 the through three rotations until Maryland ended its meet with a 49.05 on bars to sneak into the second-place tie with WVU. The remaining teams in the field were host school and EAGL leader coming into the meet North Carolina State scoring a 194.975, followed by George Washington (194.2) in fifth, New Hampshire (193.25) in sixth, Rutgers (192.625) in seventh and Pitt (191.1) in eighth.
With five wins, one loss and one tie in its second-place tying finish at the meet, West Virginia completes its season with a 17-7-1 record. The Mountaineers will compete in the NCAA regionals on April 9 at a site to be determined.
Mountaineer sophomore Janáe Cox tied for the all-around title with North Carolina’s Courtney Bumpers as both gymnasts combined for a 39.475 on the four events, a sum that is the highest of any EAGL gymnasts during the season.
Cox stuck her double-back dismount on the balance beam and tallied a career-high 9.925 to claim her second career EAGL title for a single event and first on the beam. The Mountaineers compiled a 48.9 team score on the event in the first rotation, which included a season-high and fifth-place tying mark of 9.8 from junior Gretchen Richter.
The Mountaineers trailed only North Carolina, which scored a 49.025 on the uneven bars, through the first rotation.
North Carolina widen the gap to 0.225 after the second rotation as West Virginia amassed a 48.875 on the floor exercise and the Tar Heels a 48.975 on beam. Cox again led the Mountaineers with her 9.875 good for a second-place tie at the meet, followed by senior Jessica Bartgis and sophomore Tynisha Dennis with a pair of 9.85s for a third-place tie.
For a third consecutive event, Cox turned in the Mountaineers’ highest marks as she landed a 9.85 on vault tying for second place at the meet. Bartgis followed with a 9.775 and senior Kari Williams, the league’s best and nation’s 20th-ranked vaulter, carded a 9.725 despite the score being her second lowest of the season. West Virginia’s team vault score was a 48.675.
The Tar Heel lead swelled to 0.65 after UNC, paced by Bumpers the defending national champion on the floor and her first-place score of 9.925, compiled a 49.1 team score on the event in the third rotation.
West Virginia rounded out the competition on the uneven bars, as the Mountaineers’ score of 48.75 was their second highest of the season but it was not enough to close on UNC’s gaping lead.
Cox made it four-for-four in leading WVU on the four respective events as she set a new season high with a 9.825 on the bars (her previous bests were 9.775 set five times). The score tied for third place for the meet. Bartgis swung a 9.8 and freshman Katie McGregor equaled her career high of 9.725, while senior Carri Nagle scored her third-highest marks of the season with a 9.75.
Bartgis scored a 39.2 in the all-around joining Cox as WVU’s two all-arounders. Cox and Bartgis rank second and third in school history with 19 and 18 career all-around scores of 39.0 or higher.
Cox becomes the sixth WVU gymnast all-time to win the EAGL all-around title and the sixth to win the balance beam.
EAGL TEAM STANDINGS
1.) North Carolina (195.975)
2.) West Virginia (195.2)
2.) Maryland (195.2)
4.) North Carolina State (194.975)
5.) George Washington (194.2)
6.) New Hampshire (193.25)
7.) Rutgers (192.625)
8.) Pittsburgh (191.1)
WEST VIRGINIA RESULTS (195.2)
BALANCE BEAM (48.9) – Janáe Cox 9.925, Gretchen Richter 9.8, Jessica Bartgis 9.775, Tynisha Dennis 9.7, Carri Nagle 9.7, Cheryl Goldenfield 9.675.
FLOOR EXERCISE (48.875) – Janáe Cox 9.875, Jessica Bartgis 9.85, Tynisha Dennis 9.85, Cheryl Goldenfield 9.65, Gretchen Richter 9.65, Jaime Gold 9.025.
VAULT (48.675) – Janáe Cox 9.85, Jessica Bartgis 9.775, Kari Williams 9.725, Jaime Gold 9.7, Cheryl Goldenfield 9.625, Gretchen Richter 9.6.
UNEVEN BARS (48.75) – Janáe Cox 9.825, Jessica Bartgis 9.8, Carri Nagle 9.75, Katie McGregor 9.725, Sabrina Noonan 9.65, Alyssa DeSantis 9.325.
ALL-AROUND – Janáe Cox 39.475, Jessica Bartgis 39.2
