MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Behind a career-best all-around showing from junior Alexa Goldberg, the West Virginia University gymnastics team rolled past No. 18 New Hampshire, 195.8-195.225, this afternoon in front of 2,390 fans in a Beauty and the Beast meet at the WVU Coliseum.

 

Today’s team score ranks No. 38 in the Mountaineer record book. The total would have been the squad’s third-highest score in 2015.

 

 

“To get this score today in our second meet of the season is just great. Truth be told, this wasn’t even our best performance,” Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. “I’m happy to be in this position in January, especially coming off our score at Denver last weekend. I’m excited with the direction this team is moving.”

 

The Mountaineers (1-2, 0-1) tallied season highs on all four events and defeated the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1 EAGL) on each but balance beam. 

 

Goldberg finished first overall with a career-high 39.225 score. The Ivyland, Pennsylvania, native reached the podium three times today, as she also finished first on bars (9.9) and floor (9.95). Goldberg’s floor score, a career high, ranks No. 17 in the WVU record book and is the team’s top mark since Dayah Haley earned the score at New Hampshire on Feb. 8, 2015. Additionally, her bars total, a season high, is her sixth career bars score of 9.9 or better, and she now ranks No. 3 in program history.

 

“I could see Alexa’s confidence growing all throughout preseason, and for her to get her second straight personal best in the all-around is an incredible feat,” explained Butts.

 

The Mountaineers finished with four individual wins, as freshman Kirah Koshinski scored a career-high 9.9 on vault in her Coliseum debut for the event victory. The win is her second straight of the season.

 

“I think all our freshmen competed well today in the Coliseum,” added Butts. “They are calm and collected under pressure, and that’s why they were each recruited to compete at WVU. They’re all hard workers, and I think that showed today.”

 

Sitting ahead of the Wildcats 146.625-145.85 after three events, the Mountaineers left little doubt that they would win their home season debut in the fourth rotation, as the team put together a strong 49.175 showing on floor. The squad’s mark included four scores of 9.8 or better, including Goldberg’s winning 9.95 mark. Senior Melissa Idell and sophomore Jordan Gillette tied for second with 9.85s, while freshman Jaquie Tun finished fifth in her WVU floor debut with a 9.8 mark, the third-highest floor score of the day.

 

WVU started the meet strong, going a season-best 49.075 on vault and taking the top three individual scores. Sophomore Zaakira Muhammad followed Koshinski’s winning routine in the lineup and then on to the podium with a season-best 9.85 mark. Senior Jaida Lawrence also tallied a season-best score of 9.825 and finished in third place. Additionally, sophomore Robyn Bernard and Tun scored matching 9.75 marks and tied for fifth place; the routine was a collegiate debut for Tun.

 

The Mountaineers maintained their momentum in the second rotation, as four scores of 9.725 or better, including season bests from five gymnasts, pushed WVU to a 48.9 event score and a 97.975 running total. Goldberg paced the Mountaineers and won the event outright with a season-best 9.9 score. Freshman Tiara Wright nailed her first collegiate routine inside the WVU Coliseum, earning a 9.9 from one judge and finishing in second place with a 9.875. Muhammad made it a sweep for WVU, as she scored 9.775 and finished in third place.

 

WVU hit five-for-six on balance beam in the third rotation, an improvement from the team’s season-opening showing at Denver, and scored 48.65. Koshinski paced WVU for the second straight week, scoring 9.8 and finishing in fifth place. Senior Audrey Tolbert and freshman Carly Galpin followed a fall in the lineup with matching 9.775 scores, career highs for both, and tied for eighth place.

 

UNH finished the afternoon with a meet-best 49.375 on beam. Casey Lauter won the event with a 9.95 showing.

 

With today’s win, WVU improves 29-10 all-time against UNH. 

 

The Mountaineers stay in Morgantown and return to the WVU Coliseum next weekend, as the squad plays host to Western Michigan and William & Mary on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. It’s a “Dollar Day,” and all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas will be available for $1 each.