WVU Posts Season-High Score at Illinois

Saturday, January 13

Champaign, Ill.

3:30 p.m.

West Virginia University

195.05

196.5

Illinois

January 13, 2024 07:18 PM | Gymnastics

Results (PDF)

By: Olivia Sneed

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team (2-2) earned a season high in a third-place finish at its first quad meet of the year against Illinois, UW-Oshkosh and Western Michigan inside Huff Hall in Champaign, Illinois, on Saturday afternoon.

The host Fighting Illini took first place with a 196.5, while Western Michigan followed in second with a 196.0. The Mountaineers were third with a 195.05, followed by UW-Oshkosh in fourth place with a 192.475.

WVU opened the meet on floor exercise, posting its highest team score of the meet with a 48.9. Freshman Jurnee Lane paced the lineup with a career-best 9.85, followed by fifth-year senior Abbie Pierson's season-best 9.825. Freshman Amber Lowe followed with a career-high 9.775, and a pair of 9.725's from senior Kiana Lewis and junior Brooke Alban completed the rotation for the Mountaineers.

Continuing to vault, West Virginia secured a 48.675, led by Pierson's season-high 9.85. Sophomore Emma Wehry earned a 9.775, followed by a 9.75 and a 9.725 from Alban and Lewis, respectively. Junior Sierra Muns rounded out the scoring with a 9.575.

In the third rotation on the uneven bars, the Mountaineers earned an impressive 48.85 team total. Leading the way was Wehry with a career-high 9.875, while Lowe was just behind her with a career high of her own in a 9.825. Alban scored a season-high 9.775, before scores of 9.7 from Pierson and 9.675 from sophomore Miranda Smith capped the third rotation.

Finishing the meet on balance beam, all six gymnasts hit their routines for a 48.625 total for the Mountaineers. Wehry once again led the lineup with a career-best 9.875, followed by a 9.8 from Pierson. Freshman Julia Brown hit her first collegiate routine after falling in the season opener, earning a 9.725. The meet concluded with scores of 9.625 from Lewis and 9.6 from Lowe.

Pierson competed in the all-around for the second straight meet, earning a season-high mark with a 39.175. The total is just shy of her career high and was good for second place. In the individual event standings, Pierson finished in a tie for first place on vault, and Wehry secured a third-place finish on beam.

Up next, the Mountaineers return home for their second dual meet of the season when they welcome Penn to Morgantown on Sunday, Jan. 21. It's 70's Disco Day, and competition inside the WVU Coliseum is set for 2 p.m. ET.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.