University of North Carolina Athletics
Gymnastics Hits The Road For First Of Three Away Meets
March 4, 2005 | Women's Gymnastics
March 4, 2005
The No. 24 North Carolina gymnastics team heads to Maryland Saturday for its seventh East Atlantic Gymnastics League challenge this season. Maryland (9-8, 3-3 EAGL) will take on the Tar Heels (13-1-1, 4-1-1) at 1 p.m. in the Comcast Center.
Maryland and Carolina have met one other time this season. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins exactly one month ago, 193.225-192.425, in the 10th annual Governor's Cup held in Chapel Hill on Feb. 5. Senior Olivia Trusty set the pace for Carolina in that meet, tallying a 39.15 all-around total and setting a season-high 9.90 uneven bars mark. Maryland's Rachel Martinez captured the top spot on balance beam to lead the Terrapins to a win on that event.
Both teams head into Saturday's meet looking for a win after falling by less than a point to conference opponents in the past week. Carolina faced NC State twice over the weekend, tying for the first time in either program's history on Fri., Feb. 25, at the Wolfpack's Reynolds Coliseum and losing 195.50-195.025 on Sunday at home.
Sophomore Christine Robella led the Tar Heels in both meets, garnering her two highest all-around totals of the season - a 39.125 on Friday and a 39.325 on Sunday. Robella led the team on all but one event Sunday and earned her first-career EAGL Gymnast of the Week Honor.
Maryland faced George Washington for the second consecutive meet Wednesday, falling 191.750-191.050 at George Washington. The Terrapins had previously defeated the GW Colonials on Feb. 23 in another close call at Maryland, 192.725-191.725. Martinez led the Terrapins on Wednesday as she tied for first place in the all-around with a score of 38.550.
Carolina and Maryland have both shown strength on floor exercise lately. In Carolina's two meets against NC State, three gymnasts -Robella, Trusty and junior Courtney Bumpers - achieved a mark of 9.90. The Tar Heels notched a season-high 49.225. Maryland's Ginny Scott has earned a 9.80 or better in each of the Terrapins' last three meets.
After the meet at Maryland, Carolina will have two more regular season contests before the EAGL Championships on March 25. The Tar Heels will compete against No. 20 Auburn and Iowa at Auburn on March 12 before heading to No. 7 Alabama a week later.
Players Mentioned
