Gymnastics: WVU Falls to Ohio State
March 22, 2008 09:36 PM | General
March 22, 2008
MEET RESULTS
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| Amy Bieski |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Freshman Amy Bieski won the all-around with 38.975 points, but it wasn’t enough as the West Virginia University gymnastics team fell to Ohio State 194.775-194.025 Saturday night at the WVU Coliseum.
The Buckeyes broke WVU’s streak of defeating 11 consecutive opponents dating back to Feb. 15, against North Carolina.
Tonight’s meet was the final home regular season meet for five WVU seniors: Jaime Gold (5-2, Gahanna, Ohio), Rachel Hardin (5-2, Canal Winchester, Ohio), Katie McGregor (5-2, New Kensington, Pa.), Margaret Ann Moore (5-4, Moseley, Va.,) and Kara Weaver (5-3, Ravenswood, W.Va.).
“Our five seniors have given a lot to this program and they will be sorely missed,” Head Coach Linda Burdette says. “This group of seniors has been great and has been the leaders of our team.”
West Virginia (16-8, 9-0 EAGL) got off to a great start on vault with 49.100 points behind 9.85s from Jaime Gold and Chelsi Tabor. Bieski and Erica Watson each posted 9.825s, while Emily Kerwin scored a 9.75. Gold and Tabor would tie OSU’s Beth Ann Ballard as vault champions. It was the fourth time in the last six meets that West Virginia tallied at least 49 points on that apparatus.
Ohio State in its first rotation totaled 48.825 points on the uneven bars, led by Kaylan Clevinger’s meet-best 9.875.
The teams switched on rotation two and West Virginia totaled 48.675 points on bars, while OSU countered with 48.600 points on vault to leave the score at 97.775-97.425, in favor of the Mountaineers.
All five Mountaineers had 9.7s or better with Watson landing a 9.775 for second place. WVU took a tough blow though as junior leader Mehgan Morris fell on her routine and would not compete the rest of the meet.
“Hopefully, everything will be OK with Mehgan,” Burdette says. “It was a tough challenge for our team after that, having to adjust all our lineups, but I thought they were trying as hard as they could.”
Ballard’s 9.85 and Hillary Dow’s 9.8 on vault paced the Buckeyes.
OSU took the lead 146.225-145.600 on rotation three. The Mountaineers managed to score just 47.825 points on the balance beam. Freshman Stephanie Keaton matched her career best with a 9.675 from her No. 1 spot in the lineup. Sophomore Kiersten Spoerke tied a career high with an outstanding routine for a 9.85 and was the beam champion.
On the other side, Clevinger again led the Buckeyes with a 9.875, while Jessica Rosette scored a 9.8 as OSU notched 48.800 points on floor.
West Virginia couldn’t close the gap in the final rotation. On floor, sophomore Shelly Purkat and Watson each had 9.825s to tie for second place at the meet. WVU totaled 48.425 points, but OSU held on with 48.550 points on beam to win for the 14th time in 24 meetings with the Mountaineers.
West Virginia will next serve as host to the 2008 EAGL Championships on March 29, at 4 p.m., at the WVU Coliseum.
