Gymnastics: WVU Takes Third in EAGL Meet
March 25, 2006 10:11 PM | General
March 25, 2006
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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The No. 22-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team placed third in the 11th-annual East Atlantic Gymnastics League championships held Saturday night at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J.
The Mountaineers (22-8) compiled a team score of 194.9, their highest road score of the season and tied for the second-highest of the season. However, a strong showing from defending champion North Carolina (195.325) and NC State (195.075) prevented West Virginia from winning its sixth league title.
New Hampshire (194.45), Maryland (194.175), George Washington (193.775), host-team Rutgers (191.425) and Pittsburgh (190.225) rounded out the field of eight teams competing.
Junior Janáe Cox placed seventh in the all-around with a 39.0, while freshman Mehgan Morris placed in the top three in two of her events with a third-place finish on floor (9.875) and a finished in a four-way tie for second on bars (9.85).
After a bye to start the meet, West Virginia’s first event was the floor exercise in the second rotation. The Mountaineers posted a 48.875, their third-highest and best road score of the season on the floor thanks to six clean routines.
Morris tumbled her team-high 9.875 finishing third behind North Carolina’s Courtney Bumpers (9.95) and Christine Robella (9.9). Cox anchored the lineup with a fourth-place mark of 9.85 while freshman Erica Watson carded a 9.8.
West Virginia’s next event was a fourth-rotation score of 48.625 on the vault. Sophomore Jaime Gold, a first-team all-EAGL vaulter, paced the Mountaineers with a 9.825 for an eight-way tie for eighth place, while Watson and Cox landed scores of 9.8 and 9.775, respectively.
After their third bye of the meet, the Mountaineers swung their third-highest bars score of the season with a sixth-rotation sum of 48.75. Morris, a first-team all-EAGL gymnast on bars, led West Virginia with her runner-up score of 9.85 behind Robella’s first-place mark of 9.9.
Senior Alyssa DeSantis stuck her dismount on bars the tied a season high of 9.8, while Watson and sophomore Katie McGregor turned in marks of 9.775 and 9.675, respectively. Cox, the second-rated gymnast on bars behind Morris, had trouble and took a big step on her dismount to score a 9.65.
West Virginia needed a big ending to the meet in the final rotation on its weakest event, the balance beam. The Mountaineers were in third place with 146.250, which was 0.825 points off leader North Carolina (147.075). NC State was second with 146.725.
The Mountaineers were admirable in their final rotation on beam with a 48.65, their second-highest team score of the year. However, it was not enough to overtake the deficit.
High scores for WVU on the beam was senior Gretchen Richter performing her third straight score of 9.8 for sixth place. Juniors Amie Bouchier and Cox drew marks of 9.75 and 9.725, respectively.
With the five wins during the meet, West Virginia completed the 12th season with 20 or more wins in team history. The Mountaineers, holders of a league record five EAGL titles, have not won the EAGL meet for two straight years, tied for their longest hiatus without a title.
The Mountaineers now await a bid to the NCAA Southeast Regional which will be held April 8 in Athens, Ga.
