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University of North Carolina Athletics
Sunday, February 11
Norman, Okla.
4:45 p.m.
North Carolina
at
Oklahoma
Khazia Hislop scored a 9.925 to win the floor exercise competition at New Hampshire.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
UNC Heads to Oklahoma for Meet Against Defending National Champions
February 8, 2018 | Women's Gymnastics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In their third straight weekend away from Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels will travel to Norman, Okla. where they will face the two-time defending national champions and number one ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 3:45 p.m. EST.
"Oklahoma has a phenomenal team," said UNC head coach Derek Galvin. "Any time you have an opportunity to compete with a top level team, that's an opportunity to show your best... If we don't win the meet, that doesn't mean we failed. If we don't perform up to the level that we're capable of performing then that would be disappointing, but we're not thinking about that. What we've talked to the team about is competing to succeed. We are capable of scoring in the 196.000 range and that's what we're aiming for. If that means we outscore the number one team in the nation, then that's icing on the cake."
Following the team loss to New Hampshire, Carolina is now 4-2 this season, but they have found repeated success in individual performances. The Tar Heels collectively set ten season-high and three career-best scores against the Wildcats and tied one season best score and four personal records. The team also totaled a new season-best rotation score of 49.100 on bars and tied season-highs on vault (49.000) and floor exercise (49.250).
UNC earned eleven top five scores across all events, including the all-around. In the opening rotation on bars, the Tar Heels brought home five of the top eight scores in the event. They also took three of the top five scores on vault and four of the top six on floor. On floor, Khazia Hislop took first, Mikayla Robinson and Madison Nettles tied for second, and Lily Dean tied for fifth. Khazia Hislop and Madison Nettles tied for second-place on vault and Kaitlynn Hedelund tied for fourth. Morgan Lane and Grace Donaghy tied for fourth on bars, and Lane took second on beam and first in the all-around.
"We need to bring enthusiasm for our team," said Galvin. "We need to bring excitement. We can't wait for anything to happen. We have to make things happen and that's what we've talked to the team about. So we have every reason to be excited about this opportunity to compete with the number one team in the nation and I believe very firmly that you perform and compete up to the level of your opponent."
Assistant coach Taylor Spears know all about performing at Oklahoma's level. A Sooner and national champion herself, Spears is ready to return to her alma mater for the first time since joining the Tar Heel family.
"I'm an excited nervous," said Spears. "Just the atmosphere there is so amazing and I'm excited for my athletes to see where I've competed for four years… The crowd is just amazing there so I'm really excited for our team."
WEEK #5: TAR HEELS FALL TO THE WILDCATS IN TEAM COMPETITION
North Carolina took second in their meet against the New Hampshire Wildcats in Durham, N.H. Though the final score was UNC's 195.075 to UNH's 196.125, the Tar Heels saw great individual and event improvements.
The Tar Heels set ten new season-high scores and three new career-best scores. They also collectively tied one season-best score and four personal records over all four rotations. The team also set a new season-best rotation score of 49.100 on bars and tied season-highs on vault (49.000) and floor exercise (49.250).
Carolina opened the night on bars, totaling 49.100 for a season-high in the event. Morgan Lane and Grace Donaghy tied for fourth-place accolades with scores of 9.850 while Raine Gordon followed closely behind in sixth with a 9.825. Mekyllah Williams earned a 9.800 and seventh-place honors for her routine and Madison Nettles wrapped up the scores for Carolina with a eighth-place score of 9.775.
The momentum carried into the second rotation on vault and the Tar Heels tied their season-high rotation score of 49.000. Khazia Hislop and Madison Nettles led the team with second-place scores of 9.850, and Kaitlynn Hedelund tied Wildcat Erin Carroll for fourth with her 9.800. With scores of 9.750 Alexis Allen and Madison Hargrave landed in a four-way tie for sixth-place.
Heading into the third rotation, Carolina led New Hampshire 98.100 to 98.025. The Tar Heels extended the lead back to 0.100 following exciting floor performances. Led by Khazia Hislop's first-place floor score of 9.925, Carolina tied their season-high event total of 49.250. Mikayla Robinson and Madison Nettles ended in a three-way tie for second with scores of 9.850 and Lily Dean tied for fifth after earning 9.825 for her routine. Morgan Lane's 9.775 earned her a spot in a tie for seventh-place and Madison Hargrave placed ninth with her score of 9.750.
The Tar Heels faced more challenges on beam and earned a rotation score of 47.725. Morgan Lane's second-place 9.875 led the Tar Heels while Kaitlynn Hedelund followed in eighth with a score of 9.675. Alexis Allen, Lily Dean, and Khazia Hislop added 9.500, 9.425, and 9.250 respectively to Carolina's event total.
Morgan Lane took home her second first-place title in the all-around competition, scoring a total 39.200 over the course of the competition. Her scores included 9.675 on vault, 9.850 on bars, 9.875 on beam, and 9.800 on floor.
The number one ranked team in the nation and the two-time defending national champions, the Oklahoma gymnastics team is 4-1 after competing against some of the other top collegiate programs. Their only loss this season was against the fifth-ranked Florida Gators who outscored the Sooners in the team competition by a mere 0.025. Oklahoma's score of 198.125 in that Florida meet also marked a season-high for the team.
Three Sooners earned Oklahoma's first perfect scores of the season in last week's competition against UCLA in Los Angeles. Junior Brenna Dowell earned a 10.000 on vault while sophomore Maggie Nichols and freshman Anastasia Webb both earned 10.000 for their balance beam routines. The season-high rotation scores for Oklahoma are 49.575 on vault, 49.500 on bars, 49.775 on beam, and 49.575 on floor.
The Sooners have won three of the last four national championships and have appeared in the Super Six seven times in the last eight seasons. They have also claimed nine Big 12 conference titles in the last 11 years. Oklahoma has advanced to the NCAA Championships every year since 2004 and has produced a total of 100 conference champions, 116 All-Americans and seven individual national champions all-time.
"Oklahoma has a phenomenal team," said UNC head coach Derek Galvin. "Any time you have an opportunity to compete with a top level team, that's an opportunity to show your best... If we don't win the meet, that doesn't mean we failed. If we don't perform up to the level that we're capable of performing then that would be disappointing, but we're not thinking about that. What we've talked to the team about is competing to succeed. We are capable of scoring in the 196.000 range and that's what we're aiming for. If that means we outscore the number one team in the nation, then that's icing on the cake."
Following the team loss to New Hampshire, Carolina is now 4-2 this season, but they have found repeated success in individual performances. The Tar Heels collectively set ten season-high and three career-best scores against the Wildcats and tied one season best score and four personal records. The team also totaled a new season-best rotation score of 49.100 on bars and tied season-highs on vault (49.000) and floor exercise (49.250).
UNC earned eleven top five scores across all events, including the all-around. In the opening rotation on bars, the Tar Heels brought home five of the top eight scores in the event. They also took three of the top five scores on vault and four of the top six on floor. On floor, Khazia Hislop took first, Mikayla Robinson and Madison Nettles tied for second, and Lily Dean tied for fifth. Khazia Hislop and Madison Nettles tied for second-place on vault and Kaitlynn Hedelund tied for fourth. Morgan Lane and Grace Donaghy tied for fourth on bars, and Lane took second on beam and first in the all-around.
"We need to bring enthusiasm for our team," said Galvin. "We need to bring excitement. We can't wait for anything to happen. We have to make things happen and that's what we've talked to the team about. So we have every reason to be excited about this opportunity to compete with the number one team in the nation and I believe very firmly that you perform and compete up to the level of your opponent."
Assistant coach Taylor Spears know all about performing at Oklahoma's level. A Sooner and national champion herself, Spears is ready to return to her alma mater for the first time since joining the Tar Heel family.
"I'm an excited nervous," said Spears. "Just the atmosphere there is so amazing and I'm excited for my athletes to see where I've competed for four years… The crowd is just amazing there so I'm really excited for our team."
WEEK #5: TAR HEELS FALL TO THE WILDCATS IN TEAM COMPETITION
North Carolina took second in their meet against the New Hampshire Wildcats in Durham, N.H. Though the final score was UNC's 195.075 to UNH's 196.125, the Tar Heels saw great individual and event improvements.
The Tar Heels set ten new season-high scores and three new career-best scores. They also collectively tied one season-best score and four personal records over all four rotations. The team also set a new season-best rotation score of 49.100 on bars and tied season-highs on vault (49.000) and floor exercise (49.250).
Carolina opened the night on bars, totaling 49.100 for a season-high in the event. Morgan Lane and Grace Donaghy tied for fourth-place accolades with scores of 9.850 while Raine Gordon followed closely behind in sixth with a 9.825. Mekyllah Williams earned a 9.800 and seventh-place honors for her routine and Madison Nettles wrapped up the scores for Carolina with a eighth-place score of 9.775.
The momentum carried into the second rotation on vault and the Tar Heels tied their season-high rotation score of 49.000. Khazia Hislop and Madison Nettles led the team with second-place scores of 9.850, and Kaitlynn Hedelund tied Wildcat Erin Carroll for fourth with her 9.800. With scores of 9.750 Alexis Allen and Madison Hargrave landed in a four-way tie for sixth-place.
Heading into the third rotation, Carolina led New Hampshire 98.100 to 98.025. The Tar Heels extended the lead back to 0.100 following exciting floor performances. Led by Khazia Hislop's first-place floor score of 9.925, Carolina tied their season-high event total of 49.250. Mikayla Robinson and Madison Nettles ended in a three-way tie for second with scores of 9.850 and Lily Dean tied for fifth after earning 9.825 for her routine. Morgan Lane's 9.775 earned her a spot in a tie for seventh-place and Madison Hargrave placed ninth with her score of 9.750.
The Tar Heels faced more challenges on beam and earned a rotation score of 47.725. Morgan Lane's second-place 9.875 led the Tar Heels while Kaitlynn Hedelund followed in eighth with a score of 9.675. Alexis Allen, Lily Dean, and Khazia Hislop added 9.500, 9.425, and 9.250 respectively to Carolina's event total.
Morgan Lane took home her second first-place title in the all-around competition, scoring a total 39.200 over the course of the competition. Her scores included 9.675 on vault, 9.850 on bars, 9.875 on beam, and 9.800 on floor.
THE OPPONENT: OKLAHOMA SOONERS
The number one ranked team in the nation and the two-time defending national champions, the Oklahoma gymnastics team is 4-1 after competing against some of the other top collegiate programs. Their only loss this season was against the fifth-ranked Florida Gators who outscored the Sooners in the team competition by a mere 0.025. Oklahoma's score of 198.125 in that Florida meet also marked a season-high for the team.
Three Sooners earned Oklahoma's first perfect scores of the season in last week's competition against UCLA in Los Angeles. Junior Brenna Dowell earned a 10.000 on vault while sophomore Maggie Nichols and freshman Anastasia Webb both earned 10.000 for their balance beam routines. The season-high rotation scores for Oklahoma are 49.575 on vault, 49.500 on bars, 49.775 on beam, and 49.575 on floor.
The Sooners have won three of the last four national championships and have appeared in the Super Six seven times in the last eight seasons. They have also claimed nine Big 12 conference titles in the last 11 years. Oklahoma has advanced to the NCAA Championships every year since 2004 and has produced a total of 100 conference champions, 116 All-Americans and seven individual national champions all-time.
Players Mentioned
V, UB, BB
/ Women's Gymnastics
V, BB, F
/ Women's Gymnastics
UB, BB
/ Women's Gymnastics
UB, BB
/ Women's Gymnastics
V, F
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
V, BB, F
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
V, F
/ Women's Gymnastics
UB
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