Gymnastics: Morris Leads No. 20 WVU to Victory
March 01, 2009 05:45 PM | General
March 1, 2009
| Kentucky 194.650, #20 West Virginia 195.425 WVU Coliseum Morgantown, W.Va. |
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Meet Results
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| Stat Comparison | ||||||||||||||||
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| Vault | 48.800 | 48.950 | ||||||||||||||
| Bars | 48.700 | 49.050 | ||||||||||||||
| Beam | 48.475 | 48.275 | ||||||||||||||
| Floor | 48.675 | 49.150 | ||||||||||||||
| Top WVU Gymnasts | ||||||||||||||||
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Behind the career-high effort of senior Mehgan Morris, the No. 20 West Virginia University gymnastics team defeated Kentucky, 195.425-194.650, this afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.
The Mountaineers’ score is their second-highest of the season and the 34th-best in program history. WVU (8-6 overall, 4-1 EAGL) extends its series lead over the Wildcats (6-7 overall, 0-6 SEC) to 15-6.
Morris continues to excel within the friendly confines of the Coliseum, as she finished first in the all-around with a career-best 39.475 points. The Belle, W.Va., native tied for first on the bars (9.875) and beam (9.850), won the floor (9.950) outright, finished third (9.800) on the vault, matched two career highs and set an additional, and achieved one season-best.
Through 47 career meets, Morris totals 1,427.825 points and ranks No. 16 on the WVU career point list.
Sophomore Amy Bieski also was strong today, as the Nanticoke, Pa., native finished second overall with 39.225 points, matching a season-best previously set on Jan. 31 in the Mountaineers’ home quad-meet.
Bieski tied for first on the vault (9.825) and was second on the floor (9.875).
The Mountaineers trumped the Wildcats on three of the four events. WVU won the vault (48.950-48.800), the bars (49.050-48.700) and the floor (49.150-48.675). UK took the beam (48.475-48.275). WVU’s bars score is a season-best.
Heading into the fourth rotation, the Mountaineers knew they had to perform strong on the floor, as they narrowly held the edge over the Wildcats, 146.275-146.175.
Freshman Tina Maloney re-entered the floor lineup after a one-week absence and opened the rotation with a career high 9.700 points. Junior Kiersten Spoerke followed with 9.825 points for third place, while classmate Shelly Purkat finished fourth with 9.800 points. Bieski and Morris closed out the meet with their winning performances.
The Mountaineers held a slight lead through one rotation, as they scored 48.950 on the vault to the Wildcats' 48.700 on bars.
Bieski and Maloney paced WVU on the event with identical 9.825s. The point total matches Maloney's career best. Morris followed in third, scoring 9.800 points and matching a career-high set last week at Oklahoma.
WVU increased its lead on UK in the second rotation, 98.000-97.500. The Mountaineers distanced themselves with their season best bars rotation, scoring 49.050. The Wildcats totaled 48.800 on vault.
The Mountaineers were unflappable on the bars, scoring three season- and career-bests. Morris anchored the team's lineup and not only came through with a first-place performance, but also scored a season-high with 9.875 points. Sophomore Naja Johnson preceded Morris with her own top performance, finishing second overall with a career best 9.850 points. Freshman Nicole Roach finished third with 9.800 points. Sophomore Jessica Young opened the rotation strong, scoring a season-high and matching a career-high with 9.750 points, while junior Ashley Wilson matched Young's score with her own season- and career-highs.
UK made ground following the third rotation, but WVU maintained its lead, 146.275-146.175.
Competing third and behind two WVU falls, Bieski nailed her routine and finished fifth overall with 9.750 points. Morris followed with her career-best routine. Spoerke matched Morris’ winning score with 9.850 points, while Purkat finished fourth overall with 9.775 points.
The Mountaineers close out their home season next week, as they welcome No. 17 Penn State on Sunday, March 8, for a 1 p.m. meeting. WVU will also honor its three seniors – Morris, Erica Watson and Heather Izer – in their final meet at the WVU Coliseum.
