Gymnastics: WVU Scores Season High
March 08, 2009 05:07 PM | General
March 8, 2009
| #19 Penn State 196.225, #20 West Virginia 195.925 WVU Coliseum Morgantown, W.Va. |
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Meet Results |
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| Stat Comparison | ||||||||||||||||
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| Vault | 49.125 | 49.200 | ||||||||||||||
| Bars | 49.025 | 49.100 | ||||||||||||||
| Beam | 48.875 | 48.500 | ||||||||||||||
| Floor | 49.200 | 49.125 | ||||||||||||||
| Top WVU Gymnasts | ||||||||||||||||
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The No. 20 West Virginia University gymnastics team earned a season-high score, but fell just short of the win and was defeated by No. 19 Penn State, 196.225-195.925, this afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.
The point total, which matches the 24th-best score in program history, caps off a month of 195.000-plus scores for the Mountaineers (8-7 overall, 4-1 EAGL). The squad previously scored a season best 195.650 points in its victory over Temple on Feb. 15.
With the win, the Nittany Lions (11-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) increase their series advantage to 31-6.
Today’s meet was the Mountaineers’ last home contest of the season. The team’s three seniors – Heather Izer, Mehgan Morris and Erica Watson – were honored at the conclusion of competition.
Morris put forth a career effort for the second-straight week, scoring 39.500 points and finishing first overall. The Belle, W.Va., native topped her previous career-best score of 39.475, set last week in the team’s victory over Kentucky.
Morris placed in each event today. The team co-captain finished first on the bars with a season high 9.925 points, tied for second on the floor (9.925) and beam (9.800), and finished third on the vault with a career best 9.850 points.
Sophomore Amy Bieski finished third overall with 38.900 points.
WVU put together one of its best meets of the season, scoring 49.000-plus points on three of the four apparatuses. 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).
The Mountaineers jumped out to the early lead, earning their second best vault score of the season and totaling 49.200 points. Penn State opened the meet on the bars and scored 49.025 points.
Junior Chelsi Tabor, ranked No. 22 nationally, anchored WVU's vault lineup and scored her first 9.90 of the season, finishing second overall. Morris finished second on the squad with her career high score on 9.850; it is the third-straight week Morris has netted a career-best mark on vault. Izer opened the Mountaineers' rotation matching a season high 9.750.
WVU maintained its advantage through two rotations, scoring a season-best 49.100 on bars for a 98.300 running score. The Nittany Lions netted 49.125 points on the vault, and trailed with 98.150 total points.
After building up to the point total all season, Morris earned her first 9.900-plus bars mark of the year, totaling 9.925 points, .025 below of her career-best score. Sophomore Naja Johnson and Bieski followed Morris with matching 9.825s, and finished tied for fourth place.
The Mountaineers relinquished their lead in the third rotation and trailed the Nittany Lions, 147.350-146.800. WVU earned 48.500 points on the beam, while PSU totaled 49.200 points on the floor.
Morris and junior Kiersten Spoerke tied for the team’s best beam score for the second-straight week, each earning 9.800 points. Izer opened the Mountaineers’ third rotation strong, scoring 9.700 points.
The Mountaineers made the move to regain their early advantage with a strong floor showing, and though they outscored the Nittany Lions in the fourth rotation, 49.125-48.875, they could not recover from the beam setback.
Watson opened WVU’s fourth rotation with an outstanding floor performance, scoring 9.800 points. It was the Levittown, Pa., native’s first appearance on the floor since dislocating her elbow at George Washington on Feb. 9.
Morris, ranked No. 20 nationally on the floor, anchored the event and finished tied for second overall with 9.925 points. Junior Shelly Purkat finished fourth overall with a season high 9.825 points.
WVU’s loss is only its second at home this season; the Mountaineers finished 5-2 at the WVU Coliseum this year.
The Mountaineers close out their regular season this Friday, March 13, at No. 23 Iowa State. The meet is set to begin at 8 p.m. EST.
