University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Rutgers
Nguyen Dominant In Final Home Meet
March 20, 2010 | Women's Gymnastics
March 20, 2010
Chapel Hill, N.C. -
There could not have been a better ending than Saturday's 196.225-187.200 victory over Rutgers in the final home meet for the 2010 University of North Carolina senior gymnasts. The Tar Heels scored their highest event totals of 2010 on three events and their highest overall score since April 2004 after not counting a fall on any apparatus. Senior Christine Nguyen recorded the fourth highest all-around score in Carolina gymnastics history, as both she and senior Kara Wright scored personal bests on all-around."It feels amazing especially because it's my last home meet here. I couldn't have asked for more," Nguyen said. "It gives me hope for EAGL Championships, regionals and hopefully nationals."
The Tar Heels began the meet on vault where they scored a 48.975, their highest team vault total of 2010. Nguyen won the event with a 9.9000. Wright and sophomore Zoya Johnson tied for second after both gymnasts posted 9.850. Morgan Evans, who was Carolina's first competitor on vault set the tone for the meet, scoring a 9.700 for fourth place. Freshman Michelle Ikoma scored a 9.675 for sixth place and junior Karli Jones posted a 9.650 for seventh place.
"Vault was a great start. Whenever you're successful on the first event that is going to create a lot more energy and a lot more confidence," said head coach Derek Galvin. "Our warm-up was okay today. The warm-up was not particularly impressive, but it was solid. They brought it to a completely different level once the competition began."
Nguyen captured her second event title on uneven bars and Carolina posted another season-high team total. Nguyen recorded a 9.875 to lead the Tar Heels to a 49.050 team total. Evans scored a 9.825 for second place and Wright earned third place after she scored a 9.800. Johnson and freshman Elizabeth Durkac tied for fourth with 9.775 and Jasper finished sixth with a 9.700.
Nguyen led the Tar Heels on balance beam where they scored a 48.775. Nguyen posted a 9.850 to capture her third event title of the day and Wright scored a 9.775 and tied for second place. Freshman Maura Masatsugu tied for fourth with Evans, both scored a 9.750. Jasper finished sixth with a 9.650 and senior Tina Jacob placed eighth on beam with a 9.525.
The Tar Heels scored their highest total on any event this season when they earned a 49.425 on floor exercise. Nguyen set a new personal best on floor exercise with a 9.950, the seventh-best floor exercise score in Carolina gymnastics history. Wright earned her third second-place finish of the afternoon when she placed second on floor with a 9.900 to set a new personal best. Jones took third place with a score of 9.875. Brown and Evans tied for fourth with 9.850 and Ikoma placed sixth with a 9.775.
"It was really satisfying and it just made me feel very joyful seeing the team experience that kind of team performance," Galvin said. "We didn't count a single fall among the competitors, the energy level stayed high and I felt that everybody on the team put everything they had out there today. Certainly for the seniors this was something they wanted, but I wanted it really badly for them. I really, really wanted them to have exactly this performance."
After winning every event, Nguyen scored a 39.575 to win the all-around title. Wright placed second with a 39.325 and Evans took third with a 39.125. All three Carolina all-around competitors set new personal bests.
"As far as the momentum and the confidence Tuesday night was very important and this meet was also very important," Galvin said. "They've had a sense of what we could do, now they know what we can do. This is great for our emotional momentum. Physically we're there, but you have to have the mental side of it too and now they have that confidence as a team.
"It took us a little bit longer for us to get to this point than I wanted it to take, but now that we're here it is very exciting and satisfying to see the team experience this. What we had in the beginning of the year up through the middle of the year was a team that was just trying to survive because of injuries and illnesses. Once the team got healthy they were able to put it together. What they showed today was Carolina gymnastics."
The Tar Heels travel to New Hampshire on Saturday, March 27 for the EAGL Championships at 2 p.m.
Team Scores
The University of North Carolina- 196.225
Rutgers University- 187.200
Vault- 48.975
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.900
2. Zoya Johnson- 9.850
2. Kara Wright- 9.850
4. Morgan Evans- 9.700
6. Michelle Ikoma- 9.675
7. Karli Jones- 9.650
Uneven Bars- 49.050
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.875
2. Morgan Evans- 9.825
3. Kara Wright- 9.800
4. Zoya Johnson- 9.775
4. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.775
6. Krista Jasper- 9.700
Balance Beam- 48.775
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.850
2. Kara Wright- 9.775-
4. Morgan Evans- 9.750
4. Maura Masatsugu- 9.750
6. Krista Jasper- 9.650
8. Tina Jacob- 9.525
Floor-49.425
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.950
2. Kara Wright- 9.900
3. Karli Jones- 9.875
4. Taylor Brown- 9.850
4. Morgan Evans- 9.850
6. Michelle Ikoma- 9.775
All-Around
1. Christine Nguyen- 39.575
2. Kara Wright- 39.325
3. Morgan Evans- 39.125
