PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The No. 22-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team overcame an early deficit to earn its first sweep of the 2019 season, as the Mountaineers scored 195.5 and finished first today inside Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House.
 
The host Panthers (2-1) scored 194.75 and finished in second place, while Utah State (1-2) placed third with a 194.6 total. Eastern Michigan (0-3) finished in fourth place with a 192.7 total.
 
"I'm very happy with our performance today," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "We are still leaving tenths on every event. This is a solid 196.0 team, and I know we possess a lot of potential. We should come off this competition confident, but we can achieve more."
 
The Mountaineers (4-2, 0-1) finished first on each event but balance beam, scoring 49.275 on floor, 49.2 on vault and 48.775 on uneven bars. WVU finished third on beam with a 48.25 total.  
 
"I loved the attitude and the fight I saw from this team today," Butts added. "They didn't worry about the things they couldn't control; instead, they stayed focus. There's always a lot going on at quad meets. Overall, I'm very happy, but I know we can do better."
 
Despite hitting six-for-six on balance beam in the first rotation, the Mountaineers settled for a 48.25 team score and opened the meet in fourth place. For the second consecutive week, freshman Rachel Hornung paced WVU. Today, she finished fourth with a 9.7 mark. Sophomore McKenna Linnen opened the rotation with a 9.675 mark and placed seventh overall. Junior Erica Fontaine scored 9.65, and senior Kirah Koshinski added a 9.625 score. Junior Abby Kaufman and senior Carly Galpin earned matching 9.6s.
 
In the second rotation, the Mountaineers shrugged off beam with a brilliant 49.275 showing on floor exercise, highlighted by two career-high marks and a pair of season-best scores. Koshinski and classmate Jaquie Tun anchored the lineup with matching 9.9 marks, tying for first place; the score is a career high for Tun and the second 9.9+ mark for Koshinski in as many weeks. Linnen again opened the rotation and finished fourth overall with a career-high matching 9.85 score, the second-highest score awarded today. Fontaine followed in the lineup with a season-best 9.825 and finished in sixth place. Kaufman added a season-best 9.8 and placed eighth.
 
WVU carried its momentum onto vault in the third rotation, where all five counting gymnasts scored either a career or season high for a team total of 49.2. Koshinski anchored the lineup and earned the event win with a season-best 9.925 score. With two 9.9+ scores today, she moves into a third-place tie with Janáe Cox (2004-07) with 34 career scores of 9.9 or better.
 
Tun tallied her second career high in as many rotations, earning a 9.9 mark on vault and finishing in second place. Junior Julia Merwin and Kaufman tallied 9.8s, a career high for Kaufman, and finished in seventh place, and sophomore Michelle Waldron earned a career-best 9.775.
 
"Jaquie and Kirah had excellent meets – you can't ask much more of two seniors," Butts said. "To put up the scores they are earning this early in the year is amazing. The coaching staff isn't surprised. They work hard every day in Cary Gym. They want to end their careers on top, and they're showing great leadership."
 
The Mountaineers closed the meet on bars with a 48.775 score. For the second consecutive competition, freshman Esperanza Abarca paced WVU from the leadoff position. Today, she finished tied for second overall with a 9.8 mark. Tun and sophomore Sydney Marler placed fifth overall with 9.775 scores, a career-matching mark for Marler. Kaufman scored 9.725 and placed eighth, while junior Chloe Cluchey scored 9.7 in her season debut.
 
A pair of Mountaineers competed in the all-around today. Kaufman earned her second podium finish of the season and tied for second place with a 38.925 total, while Hornung placed fifth in her career all-around debut with a 38.6 total.
 
With the wins, WVU improves to 62-14-2 all-time against the Panthers and 5-1 against the Eagles. The Mountaineers even the all-time series against the Aggies.
 
The Mountaineers close their season-opening road swing next weekend, as WVU competes at Air Force with Cortland on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 8 p.m. ET.