University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Alabama
Gymnastics Falls To No. 4 Alabama In Final Regular Season Contest
March 19, 2005 | Women's Gymnastics
March 19, 2005
TUSCALOOSA, ALA. - The North Carolina gymnastics team suffered its fourth loss of the season at No. 4 Alabama Friday, 196.325-194.55, to close the 2005 regular season campaign. The Tar Heels fell to the Crimson Tide on every event but still earned its fourth highest total this year, improving its Regional Qualifying Score. Sophomore Christine Robella led Carolina (14-4-1) with her second-highest 2005 all-around score, a 39.20, for second place.
"The meet was incredibly exciting," said head coach Derek Galvin. "It was so much fun. Our biggest test was focusing in front of over 10,000 fans, but it was a great atmosphere. The fans were people who really appreciate gymnastics."
Senior Olivia Trusty continued a strong all-around performance for Carolina, finishing in a close third to Robella, who led the Tar Heels in the all-around for the fourth time this season, with her total of 39.10. Junior Courtney Bumpers earned a 38.975 to place fourth.
Carolina started on uneven bars, where the team earned a 48.275, an improvement to the start the Tar Heels had on the same event at Auburn Saturday. Robella led the team with a 9.75 as Carolina slipped behind the Tide, who notched a 49.40 on vault. National champion and top-ranked Ashley Miles contributed to the outstanding performance with a mark of 9.925.
The Tar Heels had their best performance in the second rotation, totaling a 49.10 on vault. Trusty and Bumpers led the team with a pair of 9.875s and senior Amy Williams had her highest score of the season, a 9.80. Alabama faltered a little on uneven bars, counting one fall and finishing with a sum of 48.475, the team's lowest of the evening.
Carolina had a strong performance on floor exercise in the third rotation, winding up with a 48.975, but the team's scores fell short of Alabama's season-high performance on the event to close the meet. Co-national champion and No. 1 Miles had her best performance of the night, notching a 9.95, but she placed second to Tide teammate Alexis Brion, who earned a 9.975. Bumpers, Miles' co-national champion on floor exercise had a nice routine but made a costly step out of bounds to earn a 9.775. Trusty led the Tar Heels, followed closely by Robella and junior Mikel Hester.
Robella and Bumpers dominated on balance beam in the final rotation with Bumpers landing her second 9.90 this season on the event for a win. Robella came in second with a 9.825, but the team ended up having to count a fall in its total of 48.20. Galvin said that Bumpers' and Robella's performances on the final event were the highlight of the meet.
Carolina closes the 2005 season with a record of 14-4-1 as it prepares to head into the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships Friday at 6 p.m. at N.C. State.
Vault (49.10, 2nd)
3t. Courtney Bumpers 9.875
3t. Olivia Trusty 9.875
9. Amy Williams 9.80
10t. Christine Robella 9.775
10t. Shawna Kelly 9.775
12. Mikel Hester 9.725
Bars (48.275, 2nd)
4t. Christine Robella 9.75
6. Olivia Trusty 9.725
7. Mikel Hester 9.70
8. Elisabeth Alsop 9.675
9. Courtney Bumpers 9.425
11. Shawna Kelly 9.125
Beam (48.20, 2nd)
1. Courtney Bumpers 9.90
2. Christine Robella 9.825
7. Alice Xu 9.725
9. Olivia Trusty 9.625
11. Mikel Hester 9.125
12. Elisabeth Alsop 8.775
Floor (48.975, 2nd)
5. Olivia Trusty 9.875
6t. Christine Robella 9.85
8. Mikel Hester 9.825
10. Courtney Bumpers 9.775
11. Amy Williams 9.65
12. Elisabeth Alsop 9.15
All-Around
2. Christine Robella 39.20
3. Olivia Trusty 39.10
4. Courtney Bumpers 38.975
6. Mikel Hester 38.375
Players Mentioned
