Gymnastics Tallies Second Straight 195.0+ Score
February 08, 2015 03:43 PM | General
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Durham, N.H. – For the second straight week, the West Virginia University gymnastics team tallied 195.0+ on the road, earning 195.3 and finishing in second place today at New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gym.
The Wildcats (8-1, 2-0 EAGL) scored 196.525 and finished in first place. Towson (6-6, 0-2 EAGL) finished third with a 194.975 score, while Brown (7-5) tallied 193.475 and placed fourth.
“We struggled in warm-ups today, and we had to adjust our lineups accordingly,” said Mountaineer coach Jason Butts. “I told this team they could come out and be competitive, or they could fold, and they knocked it out of the park.”
With today’s score, the Mountaineers (6-5-1, 0-0-1) have now earned consecutive scores of 195.0 or better on the road for the first time since 2013.
“This is another road meet that we didn’t count a fall, and that’s big for this team,” explained Butts. “I’m proud of the way the squad is stepping up. They’re all doing a great job in practice, and it’s showing in these road meets.”
The Mountaineers opened the meet on balance beam for the third time this season and put together a strong 48.475 showing. Freshman Jordan Gillette paced with a career-best 9.775, good enough for eighth place. Senior Beth Deal followed her in the lineup with a 9.75, while junior Melissa Idell opened the meet with a 9.725.
Sitting in third place after one event, the Mountaineers needed a strong showing on floor in the second rotation, and they did not disappoint, as three career-best marks helped push them to a season-best 49.175 total. For the second straight week, Idell and senior Dayah Haley anchored with career-best routines, with Haley setting a new best with a 9.95 and Idell matching hers with a 9.875. Haley’s score, the 17th-best floor score in program history, is the team’s top mark on the event since assistant coach Kaylyn Millick earned the total on Feb. 24, 2013. Haley finished tied for first, while Idell placed sixth with the meet’s third-best score. Gillette and sophomore Mackenzie Myers each hit for 9.8, a career and season best, respectively. Additionally, sophomore Nicolette Swoboda opened the rotation with a 9.75.
“Dayah handed in the best routine of the day, on any event,” explained Butts. “She looks like she’s having so much fun, and I’m so proud of her. I thought our whole floor rotation was excellent. We had two people step-in on this event and hit – it was just wonderful.”
WVU retained its momentum in the third rotation and tallied 49.025 on vault; through three events, the Mountaineers continued to sit in second with a 146.675 score. Freshman Zaakira Muhammad paced the Mountaineers with a career-best 9.875, giving her a share of first place, her first career win. Swoboda preceded Muhammad in the lineup and earned a season-best 9.85, good enough for third place. Haley opened the rotation with a 9.8, her fourth 9.8 on the event this season, and junior Jaida Lawrence added a 9.75.
The Mountaineers clinched their 195.0+ mark in the fourth rotation, hitting six-for-six on bars for the second straight week and scoring 48.625. Muhammad paced the team and finished second overall with a career-best 9.825. In her second bars routine of the year, Swoboda tallied a season-high 9.725 and finished 10th overall. Additionally, sophomore Lindsey Litten and freshman Robyn Bernard each scored 9.7.
Despite the loss, WVU continues to own a 27-10 series advantage over the Wildcats. The Mountaineers improve to 20-10 against TU and 4-0 against Brown.
The Mountaineers return to the WVU Coliseum for the first of two straight home contests
.3 on Friday, Feb. 13, and welcome No. 20 Denver for a 7 p.m. dual meet. It’s a “Dollar Night,” and all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas will be available for $1 each.
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