NORMAN, Okla. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team recorded a 195.925 to finish in second place behind Arizona in the First Round of the NCAA Norman Regional Championships inside the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma, on Wednesday.
 
Despite not counting a fall, the Mountaineers couldn't overcome the Wildcats, who tallied a 196.525 team score to take first place and advance to the Second Round on Thursday, March 31. West Virginia claimed the event victory on floor exercise, while Arizona placed first on vault, uneven bars and balance beam.
 
"Obviously it stings not advancing out of this round, but honestly we didn't perform at a level that was good enough to get us out of this round," WVU coach Jason Butts said. "As much as it stings, you have to face reality and look at the performance. Arizona won today, hands down. That being said, I'm still super proud of this team. We're here, they fought through and we didn't count a fall, but this just was not our day."
 
Junior Kianna Yancey paced the team with a pair of first-place finishes, landing in the top spot on vault and floor. Sharing first place on floor with Yancey was senior Kendra Combs, while juniors Abbie Pierson and Emily Holmes-Hackerd added one podium finish apiece.
 
The Mountaineers competed in Olympic Order Wednesday afternoon, opening things up on vault. Yancey led the way with a 9.8 to earn a share of first place on the event, while Pierson was just behind her with a 9.775 to finish in a tie for third. WVU earned 48.650 team total on vault to sit in second place after the first rotation.
 
Moving on to the uneven bars, senior Kendra Combs earned a 9.825 to pace the lineup. Just behind her, senior Esperanza Abarca, Holmes-Hackerd and Yancey tallied matching 9.8s to help the squad record a 48.925 in the second rotation.
 
West Virginia added a trio of scores that earned a 9.8 or higher on balance beam to tally an even 49.000 on the event. Holmes-Hackerd earned a season-high matching 9.85 to lead the lineup, while sophomore Chloe Asper was just behind her with a 9.825. Holmes-Hackerd's score was good for a tie for second place. Senior Rachel Hornung also added a 9.8 to round out the lineup.
 
In the final rotation on floor exercise, Combs and Yancey earned a share of first place with matching 9.9s, as the score marked a career-high matching total for Yancey. Pierson and sophomore Kiana Lewis also added a pair of 9.875s, while Hornung earned a 9.8 to help the squad tally a 49.350 in the final rotation.
 
Hornung and Pierson represented West Virginia in the all-around, as Hornung earned a second-place finish with a 39.050 across all four events. Pierson was just behind her, claiming third place with a 38.450 total.
 
Next up, Combs and Pierson will represent West Virginia as individual event specialists in the Second Round of the NCAA Norman Regional on Thursday, March 31. Combs will compete on floor and Pierson will compete on beam and floor as they look to qualify for the 2022 NCAA Gymnastics National Championships. The duo will compete in the second session of the second round, with competition scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, inside the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
 
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