Gymnastics: No. 20 WVU Visits No. 21 Iowa State
March 12, 2009 11:17 AM | General
March 12, 2009
WVU at Iowa State
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| Mehgan Morris |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 20 West Virginia University gymnastics team closes out its regular season at No. 21 Iowa State on Friday, March 13, at 8 p.m. EST.
The Mountaineers (8-7 overall, 4-1 EAGL) and the Cyclones (1-9 overall, 0-4 Big 12) meet for only the second time. The two squads previously met in 2002, with ISU winning, 195.175-89.925, at Michigan State.
WVU enters the meet having earned 195.000-plus points in five consecutive meets, a feat unmatched since 2004, when WVU scored 195.000-plus in 11-of-12 meets and not only won the EAGL Conference Championships, but also finished fourth at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
The Mountaineers have been ranked No. 20 for the last three weeks and currently hold a 195.105 regional qualifying score (RQS).
WVU is coming off a 196.225-195.925 loss to then-No. 19 Penn State in its home season finale on March 8. The score is a season-best mark and matches the 24th-best point total in program history.
WVU put together one of its best meets of the season against PSU, scoring 49.000-plus points in three of four events. The Mountaineers defeated the Nittany Lions on both the vault (49.200-49.125) and the bars (49.100-49.025), while PSU earned the wins on the beam (48.875-48.500) and the floor (49.200-49.125).
Senior Mehgan Morris is peaking at the right point of the season, having scored career best point totals in consecutive meets. The Belle, W.Va., native netted a career high 39.500 points and finished first overall in the loss to the Nittany Lions. Morris placed on each event, including her uneven bars victory. She finished first with a season high 9.925 points, 0.025 points short of her career-best mark.
The WVU co-captain tied for second on the beam and the floor with respective 9.800 and 9.925 scores. Additionally, Morris finished third on the vault with a career high 9.850 points, marking the third-straight week she has earned a career best vault score.
Through 48 career meets, Morris totals 1,467.325 points and continues to rank No. 16 on the WVU career point list. Additionally, for her efforts, Morris was named the EAGL Gymnast of the Week, her fourth honor of the season.
Junior Chelsi Tabor is also hitting her stride, as the Beckley, W.Va., native finished first on the team, second overall, and earned a season best 9.90 vault score in WVU’s last outing. Tabor stands just outside the nation’s top 25 vault rankings, as she ranks No. 27 with a 9.865 RQS.
Fans can follow the Mountaineers this Friday, as ISU will provide live stats at www.cyclones.com.
