Friday, February 14
Norman, Okla.
7:45 p.m.
West Virginia University
195.575
at
198.4
Oklahoma
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
WVU Totals Season-Best Road Score
February 15, 2020 01:00 AM | Gymnastics
NORMAN, Okla. – Despite posting a season-best road score, the West Virginia University gymnastics team tallied 195.575 in a second-place finish at No. 1-ranked Oklahoma's tri-meet, with Texas Woman's University, on Friday, at the Lloyd Noble Center, in Norman, Oklahoma.
The Sooners (13-0, 2-0 Big 12) placed first with a 198.4 total, while the Pioneers (4-7, 0-0 MIC) finished third with a 193.875. WVU (6-6, 0-2 Big 12) finished second to OU on all four events, scoring 49.225 on floor exercise, 48.9 on vault and uneven bars and 48.55 on balance beam. Of note, the Mountaineers matched their season high on vault for the fourth time this season.
"I was proud of their energy and focus tonight," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "This was the biggest stage that they have been on all year. It's the biggest stage that the freshmen have ever been on in their careers. It was loud and noisy. Obviously, Oklahoma is a heck of a team, but I was really proud of their focus and their attitude throughout the whole meet.
"We'll definitely take this road score, especially on the road at Oklahoma. We didn't get the win, but this was probably the best meet that we've had performance wise. The scores go up and down, but if we keep going like this, we will peak at the right time."
WVU opened the meet with a 48.9 showing on bars. Sophomore Esperanza Abarca and freshman Kianna Yancey paced the Mountaineers and finished tied for seventh with matching 9.8s. Junior Sydney Marler and freshman Kayla Yancey tied for ninth place with 9.775s. In the tie, Kayla Yancey matched her career-high total for the third time this season. Sophomore Kendra Combs and senior Chloe Cluchey added 9.75 and 9.7 marks, respectively.
OU's Maggie Nichols won bars outright with a 10.0 mark.
The Mountaineers hit six-for-six in their second rotation, resulting in a 48.55 beam score. Abarca paced the team in the anchor position and tied for sixth overall with a 9.775 total. Freshman Abbie Pierson tied for eighth with a 9.75, followed by senior Abby Kaufman in 11th with a 9.7. Junior McKenna Linnen opened the beam lineup and tied for 12th with a 9.675. Senior Erica Fontaine also competed in the event for the first time this season, collecting a 9.65 in the No. 5 position and placing 14th overall. Combs added a 9.575 and finished 16th.
OU's Ragan Smith placed first with a 9.95 on beam.
WVU tallied its highest team total of the night in the third rotation, as all six Mountaineers scored 9.8 or better on floor to put the squad's score at 49.225. Kaufman matched her career-high score of 9.875 and tied for third, the Mountaineers' highest individual finish on the evening. The York, Pennsylvania, native now has four podium finishes on the year. Kianna Yancey and Fontaine posted matching 9.85s in a tie for seventh, while Linnen and Pierson tied for ninth with 9.825s. Combs added a 9.8 mark and tied for 11th overall.
OU's Anastasia Webb scored 9.95 and placed first overall.
"We had a short week of practice last week, and we only got to do one day on floor," Butts said. "We knew we had to raise the bar after New Hampshire because that was not our best floor performance. I was really proud of them today. They fixed a lot of the stumbling around and everything, but we can still do better. We can do better on all four events."
WVU also was consistent on vault, as three gymnasts scored 9.8 or better in the final rotation. Senior Julia Merwin and Pierson tied for seventh with matching 9.825 totals. Of note, Merwin notched a season high in the tie. Kianna Yancey collected a 9.8 score for the fourth time this season and place 10th. Cluchey placed 11th with a 9.775 mark, while Kayla Yancey and Kaufman added marks of 9.675 and 9.6, respectively.
OU's Maggie Nichols won the vault title with a 10.0 showing.
Friday's loss drops WVU to 1-19 all-time against the Sooners. The Mountaineers also are 2-0 all-time against the Pioneers.
"That 196 is still elusive on the road, but we have Pitt on the road next Friday," Butts said. "We still have a lot of gymnastics left this season, but this is a good step in the right direction for them to peak at the end of the season. You don't want to peak to early."
Looking ahead, the Mountaineers travel north to Pittsburgh next weekend for a dual meet at Pitt on Friday, Feb. 21, with action inside Fitzgerald Field House set to begin at 7 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Sooners (13-0, 2-0 Big 12) placed first with a 198.4 total, while the Pioneers (4-7, 0-0 MIC) finished third with a 193.875. WVU (6-6, 0-2 Big 12) finished second to OU on all four events, scoring 49.225 on floor exercise, 48.9 on vault and uneven bars and 48.55 on balance beam. Of note, the Mountaineers matched their season high on vault for the fourth time this season.
"I was proud of their energy and focus tonight," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "This was the biggest stage that they have been on all year. It's the biggest stage that the freshmen have ever been on in their careers. It was loud and noisy. Obviously, Oklahoma is a heck of a team, but I was really proud of their focus and their attitude throughout the whole meet.
"We'll definitely take this road score, especially on the road at Oklahoma. We didn't get the win, but this was probably the best meet that we've had performance wise. The scores go up and down, but if we keep going like this, we will peak at the right time."
WVU opened the meet with a 48.9 showing on bars. Sophomore Esperanza Abarca and freshman Kianna Yancey paced the Mountaineers and finished tied for seventh with matching 9.8s. Junior Sydney Marler and freshman Kayla Yancey tied for ninth place with 9.775s. In the tie, Kayla Yancey matched her career-high total for the third time this season. Sophomore Kendra Combs and senior Chloe Cluchey added 9.75 and 9.7 marks, respectively.
OU's Maggie Nichols won bars outright with a 10.0 mark.
The Mountaineers hit six-for-six in their second rotation, resulting in a 48.55 beam score. Abarca paced the team in the anchor position and tied for sixth overall with a 9.775 total. Freshman Abbie Pierson tied for eighth with a 9.75, followed by senior Abby Kaufman in 11th with a 9.7. Junior McKenna Linnen opened the beam lineup and tied for 12th with a 9.675. Senior Erica Fontaine also competed in the event for the first time this season, collecting a 9.65 in the No. 5 position and placing 14th overall. Combs added a 9.575 and finished 16th.
OU's Ragan Smith placed first with a 9.95 on beam.
WVU tallied its highest team total of the night in the third rotation, as all six Mountaineers scored 9.8 or better on floor to put the squad's score at 49.225. Kaufman matched her career-high score of 9.875 and tied for third, the Mountaineers' highest individual finish on the evening. The York, Pennsylvania, native now has four podium finishes on the year. Kianna Yancey and Fontaine posted matching 9.85s in a tie for seventh, while Linnen and Pierson tied for ninth with 9.825s. Combs added a 9.8 mark and tied for 11th overall.
OU's Anastasia Webb scored 9.95 and placed first overall.
"We had a short week of practice last week, and we only got to do one day on floor," Butts said. "We knew we had to raise the bar after New Hampshire because that was not our best floor performance. I was really proud of them today. They fixed a lot of the stumbling around and everything, but we can still do better. We can do better on all four events."
WVU also was consistent on vault, as three gymnasts scored 9.8 or better in the final rotation. Senior Julia Merwin and Pierson tied for seventh with matching 9.825 totals. Of note, Merwin notched a season high in the tie. Kianna Yancey collected a 9.8 score for the fourth time this season and place 10th. Cluchey placed 11th with a 9.775 mark, while Kayla Yancey and Kaufman added marks of 9.675 and 9.6, respectively.
OU's Maggie Nichols won the vault title with a 10.0 showing.
Friday's loss drops WVU to 1-19 all-time against the Sooners. The Mountaineers also are 2-0 all-time against the Pioneers.
"That 196 is still elusive on the road, but we have Pitt on the road next Friday," Butts said. "We still have a lot of gymnastics left this season, but this is a good step in the right direction for them to peak at the end of the season. You don't want to peak to early."
Looking ahead, the Mountaineers travel north to Pittsburgh next weekend for a dual meet at Pitt on Friday, Feb. 21, with action inside Fitzgerald Field House set to begin at 7 p.m.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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