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Mountaineers Finish Third in Season Opener
January 09, 2016 10:35 PM | Gymnastics
DENVER, Colo. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team tallied a 193.65 and finished in third place in its 2016 season and Big 12 Conference opener this evening at No. 16 Denver inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
Boosted by a 10.0 floor score from All-American Nina McGee, the Pioneers (2-0, 1-0) finished first with a 195.375 score. No. 24 Southern Utah (1-1) narrowly edged the Mountaineers with a 194.1 total.
The Mountaineers (0-2, 0-1) finished second on vault (49.0) and third on uneven bars (48.525), beam (47.85) and floor (48.275).
“I thought we competed scared tonight until we got to vault in the fourth rotation,” WVU coach Jason Butts said. “I was surprised by that, but it’s our first meet, and sometimes nerves happen. The skills are there, and there are certainly bright spots on each event. We just need to go back to Cary Gym and practice under more pressure.
“This was not the score we wanted, but now we know where we need to improve, and we will bounce back.”
Freshman Kirah Koshinski was solid in her Mountaineer career debut, winning vault with a 9.875 score and finishing third on beam (9.8) and floor (9.825).
“I knew Kirah had the competitive experience to come in here tonight and knock it out of the park, and she did just that,” said Butts. “Scores like that from a freshman in her first career meet are very impressive. I think she is a national-level competitor, and she proved that tonight.”
In just her third career all-around appearance, junior Alexa Goldberg finished in third place with a career-high 38.975 score.
“You could tell Alexa wanted it tonight,” said Butts. “I was really impressed with the way she carried herself.”
The Mountaineers opened the 2016 season with a six-for-six showing on the uneven bars. WVU was paced by solid 9.85 routines from Goldberg and sophomore Zaakira Muhammad, good enough for a third-place tie. Freshman Jaquie Tun finished third on the team with a 9.65 showing, while sophomore Robyn Bernard opened the rotation with a 9.625. Additionally, freshman Tiara Wright tallied a 9.55 in her collegiate debut.
Despite early falls in the lineup, the Mountaineers finished strong on beam in the second rotation, as the final four gymnasts hit and the team tallied a 47.85 score, putting its running tally at 96.375. Koshinski was the team’s highlight, as she scored 9.8 in her collegiate debut for a third-place finish. Goldberg and sophomore Jordan Gillette preceded and followed Koshinski, respectively, with 9.725 scores and tied for fifth place. Senior Audrey Tolbert closed the rotation with a career-high 9.6, good enough for 10th place.
The Mountaineers moved to floor in the third rotation and worked a team total of 48.275, pushing their running total to 144.65. Koshinski, the reigning Junior Olympics floor national champion, again paced WVU, as the Berwick, Pennsylvania, native tallied 9.825 and finished in third place. Goldberg finished second on the team with a 9.7, good enough for 10th place, while Muhammad, in her floor career debut, chipped in a 9.675 score.
WVU proved its resiliency in the fourth rotation, as the squad put together a 49.0 showing on vault. In addition to Koshinski’s win, Muhammad placed fourth with a 9.825 mark, while sophomore Amanda Bowman and senior Jaida Lawrence tied for 10th place with matching 9.775 marks.
With tonight’s loss, WVU drops to 4-5 all-time against DU. The Mountaineers continue to lead the all-time series with SUU, 4-1.
The Mountaineers open their 2016 home season at the WVU Coliseum next Sunday, Jan. 17, against New Hampshire, at 4 p.m. It’s a Beauty and the Beast meet, and the gymnastics team will compete simultaneously with the WVU wrestling team. The opener also is “Poster Day,” and the 2016 gymnastics schedule poster will be available for all fans to pick up. Additionally, Mr. Twister will be in attendance to make balloon creations and offer face painting.
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