AMES, Iowa – In its first Big 12 Conference meet of the season, the No. 24-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team came up short in a tight battle against No. 12 Iowa State on Friday evening, falling 195.800-194.500 at the Hilton Coliseum, in Ames, Iowa.
 
The Mountaineers (0-2, 0-1) hit 24-for-24 routines, and sophomore Kendra Combs scored her first career victory with a personal-best 9.85 mark on balance beam.
 
However, the Cyclones (3-1, 1-0) took the team wins on all four events: vault (49.000-48.275), uneven bars (49.025-48.675), balance beam (48.775-48.725) and floor exercise (49.000-48.825).
 
"We hit 24-for-24 routines today, and you really can't ask for anything more out of your team," ninth-year coach Jason Butts said. "We had a couple minor hiccups here and there, but I really don't feel like our score is anywhere near reflective of our performance, and that's ok. That's part of the sport.
 
"We also had some people step up today. Abby Kaufman is a senior, and she performed in the all-around. She did a phenomenal job. (Freshman) Kianna (Yancey) broke through on floor. She's almost there in the all-around. (Sophomore) Kendra (Combs) came back from her fall last week on beam, so I was very proud of her. It's our second meet of the year, and I don't think we ever hit 24-for-24 on the road this early. It just means we keep moving up. Now, it's up to us as a coaching staff to figure out what isn't up to par. I loved the energy though; it's easy to lose momentum as a team when you see low scores flashing, but they kept going."
 
Kianna paced the Mountaineers to start the meet, scoring 9.825 in the anchor position on uneven bars and tying ISU's Casandra Diaz for second place overall. Sophomore Esperanza Abarca and freshman Kayla Yancey tied for sixth place with 9.75s, a season high for Abarca and a career best for Kayla. Senior Chloe Cluchey and Combs also scored matching 9.675s to tie for 10th. Kaufman competed on bars for the first time this season, adding a 9.625 total.
 
The Cyclones' Natalia Ros Vaquer scored 9.85 and finished first overall.
 
The Mountaineers hit six-for-six on vault for the second straight week, with Kianna posting a career-high 9.8 in the leadoff position to place third overall. Kaufman anchored the vault lineup for the first time this season and tied for fourth with a 9.75. Kayla finished with a 9.725 mark and placed eighth. Junior Michelle Waldron (9.55), freshman Maya Kraus (9.45) and Cluchey (9.35) rounded out the Mountaineers in the event standings, placing 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively.
 
ISU's Sophia Steinmeyer won vault outright with a 9.9.
 
WVU tallied its highest team total of the night in the third rotation on floor exercise, as a trio of 9.8 marks put the squad's score at 48.825, a season-high total for the Mountaineers. Junior McKenna Linnen, Cluchey and Kianna finished in a four-way tie for third with matching 9.8s. Tonight marked Kianna's floor debut, and Linnen posted a season high in the tie. Kaufman followed suit with a season-best 9.725 total and tied for eighth place overall. Senior Erica Fontaine added a 9.7 mark, and Combs opened the lineup with a 9.575 score.
 
ISU's Andrea Maldonado finished first on floor with a 9.9 score.
 
WVU also was consistent on beam, as four gymnasts scored 9.75 or better in the final rotation. Combs anchored the lineup and finished first overall with a career-best 9.85 mark. Freshman Abbie Pierson, Abarca and Linnen tied for fourth with matching 9.75 scores. Kaufman and sophomore Taylor Sell added marks of 9.625 and 9.6 to place 10th and 11th, respectively.
 
In the all-around, Iowa State's Ana Palacios finished first overall with a 38.875 mark, and Kaufman finished second with a 38.725 total.
 
Tonight's results drops the Mountaineers' all-time record against the Cyclones to 6-11-1.
 
Looking ahead, West Virginia will open its home season on Sunday, Jan. 26, with a tri-meet against New Hampshire and Temple, starting at 2 p.m. ET.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.