Mountaineers Cap Season in Ann Arbor

Friday, April 5

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7 p.m.

West Virginia University

NCAA

Photo by: Kaitlyn Cole

April 05, 2019 10:04 PM | Gymnastics

Results Photos

By: Shannon Wolfgang

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team scored 195.425 and finished fourth this evening in the second of two second-round meets at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional Championships inside the Crisler Center.

No. 2-ranked UCLA finished first with a 197.675 mark, and No. 14 Nebraska placed second with a 196.8 total. The Bruins and the Huskers will advance to meet No. 7 Michigan and No. 10 Alabama in the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional Final tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

Illinois finished third tonight with a 196.175 score.

The Mountaineers' final score is WVU's fifth-best mark earned in 36 NCAA Regional appearances.

"I'm very satisfied with how this team handled adversity tonight," Mountaineer associate head coach Travis Doak said. "These gymnasts stepped up together as teammates and finished the meet with great routines in front of an energetic crowd.

"Adversity is always going to happen in sports. The chemistry within this team, and the attitude and comradery they displayed tonight, were such great representations of WVU and the state of West Virginia. These athletes lifted each other up and supported each other after a tough situation."

WVU finished third on floor exercise (49.175) and fourth on vault (48.475), uneven bars (48.875) and balance beam (48.9).

A pair of Mountaineers competed in the all-around tonight. Senior Jaquie Tun finished sixth with a 39.125 total, while junior Abby Kaufman placed seventh with a 39.1 total. Tun capped the season with three consecutive scores of 39.0+, while Kaufman's score gives her six 39.0+ marks in 14 all-around appearances this year.

The Mountaineers sat in second place after one rotation, as WVU opened the meet with a 49.175 showing on floor exercise. The score was the team's sixth-best mark of the season. Senior Kirah Koshinski anchored the lineup with a 9.875, the second-best mark awarded tonight, and finished fourth overall. Tun and Kaufman tied for seventh place with 9.85s, while sophomore McKenna Linnen and junior Erica Fontaine added scores of 9.8.

"That was such a great floor rotation," Doak said. "It was exactly how we wanted to open this meet."

A late change to the lineup impacted the Mountaineers on vault in the second rotation, and they finished with a 48.475 total. Koshinski again paced WVU and finished 10th with a 9.8 score. Kaufman scored 9.775 and finished in 15th place, while Tun earned a 9.7 mark. Sophomore Michelle Waldron opened the rotation with a 9.675 total, and Linnen and freshman Esperanza Abarca chipped in scores of 9.525. The lineup appearance was the career debut for Linnen.

The Mountaineers bounced back in the third rotation, as five hit routines pushed WVU to a 48.875 total, matching the team's sixth-best score of the season. Tun paced WVU and tied for fourth place with a career-high matching score of 9.875. Junior Chloe Cluchey preceded Tun in the lineup and finished 14th overall with a season-best 9.825. Abarca opened the lineup with a 9.75 score, while freshman Kendra Combs and Kaufman scored 9.725 and 9.7, respectively.

WVU capped the meet with a 48.9 showing on balance beam, the Mountaineers' third-best score of the season. Koshinski scored a team-best 9.825 and tied for 10th place. Kaufman, senior Carly Galpin and freshman Taylor Sell scored 9.775 and finished in 17th place, and Linnen opened the rotation with a 9.75 score.

Today was the final collegiate competition for a trio of Mountaineers: Galpin, Koshinski and Tun.

"This senior class ended its career just the same as it started – as Mountaineers," Doak added. "They've been power players in our lives for four years, and they fulfilled our goal of doing their best gymnastics in their senior season."