MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team used event wins on balance beam and floor exercise to tally a come-from-behind, 196.250-195.400 victory over Ball State inside the WVU Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
 
In the Mountaineers' final home meet of the 2022 campaign, WVU (13-3, 0-2 Big 12) put together another big performance on floor exercise to secure the Senior Day victory. All five scoring gymnasts tallied a 9.85 or better to earn a 49.325 total on the event, helping West Virginia record its 11th straight win.
 
"I'm happy with our overall effort today," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "I feel like we didn't really gain performance traction during the competition, which we need to help boost our scores. But they fought through and stayed on the equipment and hit routines, and that's what counts. We are ready for our next two meets on the road and excited to make the trip to Michigan."
 
Junior Kianna Yancey paced WVU against Ball State, notching a pair of podium finishes, including a share of first place on floor after notching a career-best 9.9 to anchor the lineup. Junior Abbie Pierson also recorded a pair of podium appearances, while six other Mountaineers added one podium finish apiece.
 
A trio of gymnasts led West Virginia's vault lineup with matching 9.825s, as Pierson, senior Rachel Hornung and sophomore Kiana Lewis finished the meet in a tie for second place. Yancey and freshman Brooke Alban also added a pair of 9.725s. The highlight of the rotation was sophomore Gillian Fletcher's Mountaineer debut, as she anchored the lineup and earned an impressive 9.775 in her first-ever collegiate appearance. West Virginia was just shy of a 49.0-plus showing in the first rotation, posting a 48.975.
 
In the second rotation on the uneven bars, Yancey and senior Esperanza Abarca paced the Mountaineers with a pair of 9.825 scores, as the duo ascended the podium in second place. Hornung, Alban and senior Kendra Combs rounded out WVU's scoring with a trio of 9.75s to help the Mountaineers tally a 48.900 total score on bars.
 
West Virginia then moved on to balance beam, where Combs and sophomore Chloe Asper led the way with a pair of 9.85s, as the two finished in a tie for second place. Junior Emily Holmes-Hackerd and sophomore Agatha Handono added matching 9.8 scores, before Hornung rounded out the scoring with a 9.75. WVU tallied a 49.050 event total on beam, its second straight score of 49.0 or better on the event.
 
The Mountaineers concluded the meet on floor exercise, putting together another beautiful performance to record a 49.325 total on the event. The lineup was led by Yancey's career-high 9.9 to secure a share of the individual event win. The total also was her first career score of 9.9 or better. Pierson rounded out WVU's podium finishers, earning a 9.875 for third place. Finishing just off the podium in a tie for fourth place, Hornung, Combs and Holmes-Hackerd each recorded a 9.85 to round out the lineup.
 
Hornung was the Mountaineers' lone competitor in the all-around, as she finished in second place with a career-high matching 39.175.
 
Sunday afternoon's meet also was WVU's Senior Day, as the Mountaineers recognized Abarca, Combs, Hornung and volunteer assistant coach Kristin Lang following the meet.
 
"I'm glad we could end our seniors' amazing, four-year run with a win in their last meet at the Coliseum," Butts added. "As always, they did a great job, but what people don't see is the incredible leadership, dedication and perseverance all four of them have every day. I'm still relying on them as we wrap up the regular season and head into the postseason. I know they're excited as well, and I have confidence they will not let their team down."
 
West Virginia now prepares to conclude its regular season at No. 1 Michigan with No. 6 Auburn, as it travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday, March 12. Action inside the Crisler Center is slated for 4 p.m. ET.
 
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