Carolina Sends Off Seniors With Record Meet

Saturday, March 17

Chapel Hill

1 p.m.

North Carolina

196.600

196.050

Pittsburgh

Seniors Madison Nettles, Lauren Weisel, Morgan Lane, and Kaitlynn Hedelund closed out their Carmichael careers with a season-high team performance, 196.600.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 17, 2018 | Women's Gymnastics

Complete Results

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Carolina gymnastics sent off its four seniors on Saturday with a record afternoon, recording the sixth-highest overall score in the history of Carolina gymnastics and defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers at home in Carmichael Arena, 196.600 to 196.050.

The Tar Heels improved their season-high overall score by a whopping 0.550, matching seven individual career-highs and setting five new personal records across all four events and the all-around competition. While five gymnasts set new season highs in the meet, eight gymnasts either matched or bested their career-highs including three seniors.

"That was the dream, to send them off with a strong team performance," said UNC head coach Derek Galvin. "The team wanted that for them, the coaching staff wanted that for them, and, obviously, this was our best meet of the year thus far. There were a couple of spots where we could do a little bit better, but it was our best team performance on bars, floor, and overall. It was a great meet."

Starting off on vault for the first time since the Pink Meet against Brown, Carolina matched its second-best score of the season with an event total of 49.175. Sophomore Khazia Hislop earned Carolina's first first-place accolade of the day with a score of 9.900, and senior Morgan Lane kicked off her final meet in Carmichael Arena by matching her career-high score of 9.875 for second-place. Mikayla Robinson hit a personal best vault for a score of 9.825 and a place in a three-way tie for fifth, and Alexis Allen's score of 9.800 finished eighth. Madison Hargrave and Madison Nettles both received scores of 9.775 for their vaults.

Leading Pitt, 49.175 to 49.000, the Tar Heels headed to the uneven bars for the second rotation and totaled a season-high 49.175. Again taking the top two scores of the event, senior Kaitlynn Hedelund and freshman Rylie Dewhurst both scored a first-place 9.900 for their bars routines. While Hedelund matched her personal record in the event, Dewhurst's bars performance was her first ever as a collegiate gymnast. Sophomore Mekyllah Williams tied her career-high score of 9.800 to finish in sixth-place alongside Morgan Lane, and Madison Nettles earned her second 9.775 of the meet. Although her score did not count toward Carolina's total, Alexis Allen just missed her career-high bars score by 0.025 after she received a 9.725 from the judges.

UNC moved on to beam and scored 48.775 in the third rotation. For the third time, Carolina took No. 1 and No. 2 in the individual competition. Morgan Lane matched her career-high score of 9.950 for first-place honors and Khazia Hislop followed closely behind with a new personal-best score of 9.925. Kaitlynn Hedelund tied for fourth-place accolades with a score of 9.850, and Alexis Allen completed her routine for a score of 9.800. Raine Gordon contributed 9.250 to the Tar Heels' event total.

To top off the afternoon and to take back the lead, the Tar Heels set a new season record on floor exercise with a score of 49.475. Carolina nearly swept the podium as the team earned four of the top five scores. Khazia Hislop and Morgan Lane both matched career highs with a first-place 9.950 and second-place 9.925, respectively. Madison Hargrave matched her own personal record of 9.875 on floor and tied teammate Mikayla Robinson and Pitt's Haley Brechwald for third. Senior Lauren Weisel set a new career record of 9.850 in her final competition in Carmichael Arena, and Madison Nettles placed eighth with her score of 9.825.

Closing our her career in Carmichael, senior Morgan Lane shattered her personal record in the all-around competition, besting her previous record of 39.400 by 0.150 to earn a total 39.550 across all four events. Her scores earned her first-place honors ahead of Pitt's Haley Brechwald (39.300) and included a 9.875 on vault, 9.800 on bars, 9.950 on beam, and 9.925 on floor.

Lane was just one of four seniors to say goodbye to Carmichael Arena with an impressive performance. Kaitlynn Hedelund, Madison Nettles, and Lauren Weisel also gave everything they had in their final show at home.

"I feel so good for [the seniors]. They all had exceptional performances. [Morgan Lane and Lauren Weisel] had personal bests, Kaitlynn [Hedelund] tied a personal best. Madison Nettles had a great meet. All four of them had a great meet... I'm very happy for the entire team, particularly for the seniors."

With the regular season wrapped up, the Tar Heels have their sights set on the EAGL Championships next Saturday, March 24th at 2:00 p.m. Carolina faces George Washington for the first time this year but will rematch against NC State, New Hampshire, Pittsburgh, and Towson in the competition for the conference title.