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No. 25 Mountaineers Tally Top-10 Score in Wins
March 06, 2016 05:57 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – An astounding 49.575 score on floor in the fourth rotation helped push the No. 25-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team to a first place, 196.8 showing today at the WVU Coliseum.
The Mountaineers’ (8-6, 0-3) score ranks No. 7 in program history and is the squad’s best score since earning 196.55 on Feb. 24, 2013. WVU’s final total also is the team’s top mark under fifth-year coach Jason Butts. As of 5 p.m. EST today, the Mountaineers are one of 16 teams nationally to score 196.8 or better this year.
WVU has now scored 196.0 or better in two straight meets for the first time since the 2013 season.
“Not to take anything away from previous teams, but skill level and consistency wise, this is the best team I have had the privilege of coaching,” Butts said. “The momentum sparked last week in Philadelphia and is soaring right now, and we simply need to keep riding this wave. It’s very important that we keep this going next weekend, and we will have two great opportunities against Pitt. This squad has an excellent chance to continue to climb higher over the next two weeks.”
Ohio State (5-6-1, 1-4 Big Ten) scored 195.975 and finished in second place. Bowling Green (4-12, 0-5 MAC) tallied 195.725 and placed third.
The Mountaineers hit 24-for-24 routines for the third straight meet and tallied season highs on bars (49.15), beam (49.075) and floor (49.575). WVU saved its best performance for last, scoring what is believed to be the third-highest floor total in program history. The Mountaineers last tallied a 49.575 on floor at the 2002 EAGL Championship on March 23, in Towson, Maryland. The WVU floor team record is 49.7, set on March 4, 2001, against George Washington, in Morgantown.
“I see our floor routines every day in the gym, and I’ve always known the potential is there,” Butts explained. “I wanted us to attack our gymnastics today and to compete aggressively, and we did just that. We attacked all four events today, and that’s what I want to see from this team every week.”
Junior Alexa Goldberg earned her second career all-around victory with a career-best 39.325 showing. The Ivyland, Pennsylvania, native also finished first on bars with a season-best 9.9, giving her a team-best 20 career event wins.
In just her second career all-around appearance, sophomore Zaakira Muhammad tied for second place with a 39.275 showing.
“I have to give credit to Alexa and Zaakira – they led this team today with great hits and put up awesome scores for us,” Butts added.
The Mountaineers opened the meet with a 49.0 score on vault, the team’s sixth straight mark of 49.0 or better. Vault is the only event of the day WVU dropped to an opponent, as OSU tallied 49.05 in the fourth rotation for the team win.
A trio of Mountaineers tied for third place on vault with 9.825s – freshman Kirah Koshinski, sophomore Amanda Bowman and Muhammad. The mark is a season high for Bowman and matches her career best. Senior Jaida Lawrence preceded the trio in the lineup with a 9.8, while sophomore Robyn Bernard and Goldberg chipped in 9.725s.
For the first time this season, WVU tallied two 9.9+ scores on bars, with Goldberg and freshman Tiara Wright tying for the victory; the mark is a career best for Wright. Freshman Jaquie Tun scored 9.8+ for the second straight week and finished sixth overall with a 9.825. Bernard opened the rotation with a career-high 9.775, good enough for 10th place, and sophomore Jordan Gillette added a 9.75.
Four scores of 9.8 or better pushed the Mountaineers to their season-best showing on beam. Muhammad placed second overall with a career-high 9.85 showing. Today was just the third career routine for the Pennsauken, New Jersey, native. Senior Audrey Tolbert and freshman Carly Galpin tied for third place with 9.825 marks. Tolbert, a 2015 Ohio State transfer, has scored 9.8 or better on beam in four of the last five meets. Goldberg opened the rotation with a season-high 9.8, good enough for sixth place, and senior Melissa Idell added a 9.775 mark and finished tied for eighth place.
The Mountaineers catapulted to their top-10 team score in the fourth rotation, as all six competing gymnasts scored 9.825 or better. Idell and Koshinski tied for first place with 9.95s, a career-high score for both gymnasts. Four different Mountaineers have now scored 9.95 on floor this season, quadrupling the team’s total from 2015. Muhammad and Goldberg tied for third place with 9.9s, while Gillette placed seventh with a career-best 9.875, the third-highest mark earned today. Tun opened the rotation with a career-high 9.825 and finished 10th overall.
With today’s win over the Buckeyes, WVU moves its all-time mark against OSU to 13-17. The Mountaineers show a 9-5 all-time mark against the Falcons.
“We hit 24-for-24 routines again, and that will continue to be our focus as we move forward this month,” Butts concluded. “We had an excellent crowd this afternoon – they provided us with a lot of energy – and I hope to have that same support in our home finale Friday night.”
The Mountaineers close their 2016 home season at the WVU Coliseum on Friday, March 11, against Pitt, at 7 p.m. Friday is a “Dollar Night,” and all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca Colas will be available for $1 each. Additionally, it’s Senior Night, and the Mountaineers will honor seniors Idell, Lawrence and Tolbert following the competition.
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