Gymnastics: WVU Edges Pitt in Final Rotation
January 23, 2009 11:47 PM | General
January 23, 2009
| Pittsburgh 192.700, #21 West Virginia 194.775 WVU Coliseum Morgantown, W.Va. |
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Meet Results
Photo Gallery |
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| Stat Comparison | ||||||||||||||||
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| Vault | 49.125 | 49.050 | ||||||||||||||
| Bars | 47.775 | 48.925 | ||||||||||||||
| Beam | 47.100 | 47.625 | ||||||||||||||
| Floor | 49.000 | 49.175 | ||||||||||||||
| Top WVU Gymnasts | ||||||||||||||||
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Relentless despite trailing after three rotations, the No. 21 West Virginia gymnastics team proved its might and power with a 49.175 floor showing to defeat the visiting Pitt Panthers, 194.775-192.700, at the WVU Coliseum this evening.
The win is the first EAGL victory for the Mountaineers (2-3 overall, 1-0 EAGL) this season. WVU improves its series hold over the Panthers (2-3 overall, 0-2 EAGL) to 46-12-2. Additionally, the win moves Coach Linda Burdette to within one victory of 600 (599-239-4).
WVU trailed Pitt 145.900-145.600 after the third rotation, but four season-best marks on floor pushed the Mountaineers towards their victorious final score.
Sophomore Amy Bieski finished first overall with 39.175 points.
Senior Mehgan Morris nabbed her first +9.9 score of the season, as she closed out the meet with a 9.925 floor routine. The Belle, W.Va., native finished second in the all-around with 38.800 points.
Shannon Vafiadou paced the Panthers, finishing third in the all-around with 38.300 points.
The Mountaineers jumped out to the early lead, earning their first +49.000 vault score of the season with 49.050 points. Pitt answered with 47.775 points on the uneven bars.
Bieski opened the evening with a meet and personal best vault score of 9.90. The mark is only the third 9.9 score of her career, and the first on vault. Sophomore Emily Kerwin also had a career night on vault, scoring a personal-best 9.825. Junior Chelsi Tabor anchored the Mountaineers’ vault lineup and scored her third +9.8 of the season, as she earned a 9.85.
WVU maintained its lead through two events, 97.975-96.900, and continued setting team season-highs, as the Mountaineers scored a season-best 48.925 on the uneven bars. Pitt did close the gap, defeating WVU on the vault with a team score of 49.125.
Morris finished first on the uneven bars for the second-consecutive week with a 9.85. Bieski and senior Erica Watson finished second on the team, and third overall, with identical 9.80 scores, while sophomore Naja Johnson nailed her third straight 9.750 routine.
WVU fell behind in the third rotation, but earned the overall edge in a shaky beam night for both teams, with a 47.625 apparatus score. Pitt pushed ahead with a 49.000 floor score in their third event, and finished with 47.100 points on beam.
Junior Shelly Purkat returned to the lineup after battling the flu to pace WVU on the beam with a season best 9.750 mark. Bieski, Tabor and Pitt’s Andrea Konesky tied for second with 9.600 points.
WVU closed the evening with its meet-winning floor routines. Junior Kiersten Spoerke (9.80), Purkat (9.850), Bieski (9.875) and the aforementioned Morris composed the string of four straight season-best scores. Additionally, sophomore Jessica Young earned 9.725 points in her WVU floor debut.
The Mountaineers stay at home to host Maryland, Rutgers and George Washington on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m., at the Coliseum. The evening has been designated as an Alumni meet and will celebrate both the rich tradition of WVU gymnastics and also Coach Burdette’s 35 years with the Mountaineers.
