Gymnastics: WVU Continues Road Trip
January 16, 2009 12:34 PM | General
January 16, 2009
WVU at Michigan State with Iowa and Illinois State Notes
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| Chelsi Tabor |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 18 West Virginia University gymnastics team stays on the road and competes in its first quad-meet of the season at Michigan State, along with Iowa and Illinois State, on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Jenison Field House at 7:30 p.m.
Coach Linda Burdette (597-237-4) is going for her 600th win this weekend. Burdette, in her 35th year at WVU, will become the first Mountaineer coach to earn 600 wins with a WVU team. Only current men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins (628-226) has more overall wins than Burdette.
The Mountaineers (0-1) opened their season with a narrow 195.425-194.075 loss at nine-time overall and four-time defending NCAA champion Georgia on Jan. 9. WVU challenged the preseason No. 1 Bulldogs through four events, but fell just short.
The score was the program’s second best opening meet point total. WVU previously scored 194.800 points in 2007 in a loss to Michigan (194.850) and a win over James Madison (182.475).
Senior Mehgan Morris, the 2008 EAGL bars and floor champion, opened the season right where she concluded last year, leading the Mountaineers on both exercises with identical 9.850 scores. The Belle, W.Va., native’s bars score was the third best meet score. Additionally, Morris finished second in the all-around with 38.925 points. For her efforts, Morris was named the EAGL Gymnast of the Week.
Junior Chelsi Tabor, a 2008 First Team All-EAGL vault honoree, took first place in the event at Georgia with 9.875 points. Sophomore Amy Bieski finished second on the vault, matching a career-best with 9.850 points.
Freshman Jenn Sharon opened her Mountaineer career with a strong showing on beam, finishing first on the team and fourth-overall with 9.725 points.
Performing in front of a crowd of over 8,000, WVU nailed its routines and did not register a fall. Through the first two rotations (bars and vault), the Mountaineers trailed the Bulldogs by less than a point, 98.025-97.300. Additionally, despite counting one-tenth of a deduction on floor, WVU edged UGA on the event, 48.650-48.625.
The host Spartans (1-2) opened their season taking third place at home against Michigan, Illinois and Western Michigan on Jan. 9. The Mountaineers hold a 10-8-1 series advantage over MSU, and last defeated the Spartans, 193.150-192.150, in 2007.
Iowa (0-2) finished third in its home opener with LSU and Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 9. Despite losing to the Hawkeyes last season, 192.875-192.125, the Mountaineers own a 2-1 series edge.
Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between Illinois State (0-2) and WVU. The Redbirds opened their season with a home loss to Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 4, and fell at Central Michigan on Jan. 9.
The Big Ten Network will air a tape-delayed broadcast of the meet on Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. Fans wishing to follow the Mountaineers in action on Saturday can view Live Stats at www.msuspartans.com.
