MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 24 West Virginia University gymnastics team took second place in a three-team with No. 6 Michigan and James Madison on Friday night, Jan. 12, at the WVU Coliseum.

Sixth-ranked Michigan took first (194.850) by finishing just ahead of WVU’s final team score of 194.800, while the James Madison Dukes came in third at 182.475. With WVU trailing 146.050 to 145.5 going into the final rotation, the Mountaineers posted a 49.3 composite score in hopes of earning first place. But Michigan responded with a 48.8 on the vault to hold off West Virginia 194.850-194.800.

“I am so happy with how well we came out and performed in our first meet,” head coach Linda Burdette said. “We finished the night very strong and I hope we keep doing what we were doing for the rest of the season.”

Senior Janáe Cox won the all-around with a score of 39.250 and also took the beam with a 9.9. Senior Tynisha Dennis had one of the best performances of the night on the floor exercise and took first place with a 9.925, while junior Jaime Gold tied Michigan’s Katie Lieberman for first in the vault with a score of 9.875.

The Mountaineers opened with a team score of 49.025 on vault, followed by a 47.925 and 48.550 on the uneven bars and balance beam, respectively, before the floor exercise.

West Virginia returns to action at Pitt against the Panthers, Michigan State and Maryland on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m., in Pittsburgh, Pa.