University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
at LSU, Illinois-Chicago
Tar Heels Post Solid Performance At LSU
February 20, 2009 | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 20, 2009
Baton Rouge, La. ------ The University of North Carolina gymnastics team scored its second-highest total of the season with a 194.775 to finish second in a tri-meet vs. LSU and Illinois-Chicago. No. 10 LSU won the meet with a 197.400 and UIC posted a 192.800.
"It was a good team score, which is what we need to keep doing to qualify for NCAA Regionals," said head coach Derek Galvin. "We had a good meet, but we know we have room for improvement and we'll get back in the gym this week and work on some things. This was our sixth straight road meet and we're becoming road warriors."
Carolina scored one of its best vault scores of the year with a 48.925 as every Tar Heel gymnast posted at least a 9.675. Junior Christine Nguyen posted a 9.850 and senior Jennifer Valby had a 9.825.
"That was probably our strongest vault performance this season," said Galvin. "Zoya Johnson had her best vault in competition this year and Jen and Christine had strong efforts. Christine again performed the Yurchenko 1 1/2 twist vault."
The Tar Heels opened the meet on balance beam and posted a score of 48.750. Although the performance was not quite as solid as the previous week at NC State, Carolina did not count any falls and Nguyen recorded a team-best 9.875 to place third overall.
In the second rotation on floor exercise, Carolina scored a 48.225, which included one fall and two out of bounds penalties. Those mistakes took nearly a point off the total. Junior Kara Wright put together another solid routine and scored a team-best 9.825, while junior Teri Diamond had her best routine of the season with a 9.625. Krista Jasper, who was competing on three events (beam, floor, bars) for the first time all season, had a 9.800.
"We still are adjusting to the floor at each of these road meets," said Galvin. "Last week's floor at NC State was slightly different than this week. That's no excuse, it's just something we have to learn to deal with."
In the uneven bars competition, senior Rachel Schneider had her best performance of the season with a 9.800. Wright posted a 9.875 and Nguyen had a 9.800.
"We were much improved on bars from the previous week at NC State," said Galvin. "We had a sour taste in our mouth from that apparatus last week and wanted to go much better and I think we did. I thought Rachel did a very good job and Kara had a strong routine."
North Carolina, which will compete on the road in every meet this season while Carmichael Auditorium undergoes renovations, will return to action next week at Kentucky.
"We are competing with enthusiasm and putting together scrappy, gutsy routines that we need to keep polishing," said Galvin. "I'm proud of our effort and looking forward to our next meet."
Team
1. LSU - 197.400
2. North Carolina - 194.775
3. Illinois-Chicago - 192.800
Beam
Kara Wright - 9.050
Karli Jones - 9.650
Zoya Johnson - 9.700
Tina Jacob - 9.750
Krista Jasper - 9.775
Christine Nguyen - 9.875
Floor
Karli Jones - 8.800
Christine Nguyen - 9.300
Rachel Schneider - 9.625
Teri Diamond - 9.625
Krista Jasper - 9.800
Kara Wright - 9.825
Vault
Karli Jones - 9.675
Kara Wright - 9.700
Zoya Johnson - 9.750
Morgan Evans - 9.800
Jennifer Valby - 9.825
Christine Nguyen - 9.850
Uneven Bars
Zoya Johnson - 9.650
Morgan Evans - 9.700
Krista Jasper - 9.700
Christine Nguyen - 9.800
Rachel Schneider - 9.800
Kara Wright - 9.875
All-Around
Kara Wright - 38.425
Christine Nguyen - 38.875
Players Mentioned
