WVU Tallies Season-High Score to Cap Beauty and the Beast

Sunday, February 18

Morgantown, W.Va.

2 p.m.

West Virginia University

195.25

195.675

#24 Iowa State

Results (PDF)

WVU Tallies Season-High Score to Cap Beauty and the Beast

February 18, 2024 05:47 PM | Gymnastics

Results (PDF)

By: Olivia Sneed

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team tallied a season-high 195.25 team score to close out its Beauty and the Beast meet with the WVU wrestling team inside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown on Sunday afternoon.

West Virginia's total marked just its second score of 195.0 or higher this season and was good for third place in the final team standings. No. 7 Denver claimed first place in the meet with a 197.65, while Iowa State finished in second with a 195.675.

In front of 4,139 fans, the second-largest crowd in WVU gymnastics and wrestling history, the Mountaineers posted a season-high 49.025 on vault and matched their season high on floor exercise with a 49.25. West Virginia secured a 48.5 on balance beam and added a 48.475 on the uneven bars.

Rotating in Olympic order, WVU opened the meet in a huge way on vault, with three Mountaineers posting a 9.8 or higher on the way to the season-high event score. Senior Kiana Lewis paced the lineup with a season-high 9.875, followed by a season-high matching 9.85 from fifth-year senior Abbie Pierson. Junior Sierra Muns earned a season-best 9.8, marking her first score of 9.8 or higher as a Mountaineer. Junior Brooke Alban and sophomore Emma Wehry added matching 9.75's to round out the first rotation.

Moving to bars, freshman Amber Lowe earned a huge career-best 9.875 to lead West Virginia. Alban recorded a 9.725, followed by a pair of 9.7's from sophomore Miranda Smith and freshman Jayden McDonnell. Unfortunately, freshman Jurnee Lane's 9.475 was counted after another fall earlier in the lineup.

WVU worked to get its momentum back on beam, with a 9.8 from freshman Julia Brown leading the lineup. Lane was just behind her with a 9.775, followed by a 9.75 from Pierson. A 9.6 from Lowe and a 9.575 from Smith rounded out the scoring.

The Mountaineers ended on a high note on floor, as all five scoring gymnasts secured a 9.8 or higher to match WVU's season-high score on the event. Lowe and Pierson recorded matching 9.875's, which marked a career high for Lowe and matched Pierson's season best. Lewis tallied a 9.85, before Alban and Lane scored a pair of 9.825's to cap the meet. Of note, Alban's score marked her a career best on floor.

In the final event standings, Lewis earned a share of the vault title, while Pierson was just behind her in a tie for third. Pierson represented WVU in the all-around competition, tallying a 38.925 for fourth place.

West Virginia now hits the road again, continuing Big 12 Conference competition against No. 1 Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 23. Competition inside the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma, is tabbed for 7:45 p.m. ET.

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