Gymnastics: WVU Travels to No. 13 Penn State
February 19, 2010 02:16 PM | General
February 19, 2010
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| Amy Bieski |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team is set to compete at No. 13 Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa.
Saturday’s meet will be a double-dual, as the PSU men’s meet with Illinois will coincide with the women’s match-up.
The Mountaineers (11-3, 6-0 EAGL) and the Nittany Lions (8-3, 3-1 Big Ten) opened the season against each other at Michigan State on Jan. 8, with PSU earning a 193.9-191.225 victory. The Nittany Lions own a 32-6 advantage in the 31-year series. The Mountaineers last defeated PSU in a 195.15-193.375 upset at University Park in 2008.
Tomorrow night’s contest is the seventh for both squads this season and the Mountaineers’ second dual-meet. PSU enters with a 195.379 team average, while WVU brings with it a 193.729 average. Additionally, the Mountaineers are 2-3 against ranked opponents this year.
Though the Mountaineers’ team average puts the squad just outside the top 25 national rankings at No. 26, the team continues to boast the No. 16 (48.755 average) floor lineup.
Three Mountaineers enter the meet as reigning weekly East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) honorees.
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| Chelsi Tabor |
Junior Amy Bieski earned her third-straight EAGL Gymnast of the Week honor following a season-best 39.25 first-place showing on Feb. 12. The Nanticoke, Pa., native has scored three 39.0-plus marks this season and 10 in her career, the 10th-best program total. Bieski is the lone Mountaineer with a national ranking, as she ranks No. 40 on floor with a 9.817 average.
Senior Shelly Purkat was named the EAGL Specialist of the Week for the fourth time in her career after scoring season-best 9.825s on beam and floor on Feb. 12. The Edina, Minn., native tied for first on beam and finished third on floor.
Junior Faye Meaden scored her second-straight EAGL Rookie of the Week recognition after tallying a season-best 9.775 on bars and tying for third place on Feb. 12. The placement was the Fairfax, Va., native’s first career top three event finish.
Bieski’s floor average paces the Mountaineers. Additionally, she is averaging 38.754 in all-around. Senior Chelsi Tabor owns the team’s top vault (9.8) and balance beam (9.719) averages, while junior Alysha Pretzello leads the bars unit with a 9.725 average.
WVU last defeated Ohio State, 195.65-192.8, on Feb. 12 at the WVU Coliseum. The Mountaineers’ team total was a season-best mark. WVU also defeated the Buckeyes on each apparatus with season-best scores, tallying 48.875 on vault, 48.9 on bars, 48.8 on beam and 49.075 on floor.
Fans can follow the Mountaineers Saturday by clicking HERE for live stats.
