University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida
Tar Heels Finish Second At No. 4 Florida
March 5, 2010 | Women's Gymnastics
March 5, 2010
Gainesville, Fla. -
For the second week in a row, the University of North Carolina gymnastics team finished second to a top-10 opponent. The Tar Heels recorded their highest team total this season and Kara Wright tied her personal best in all-around, but the team could not keep pace with No. 4 Florida.
Carolina scored a 194.225 total, but the Gators recorded a 197.550. Ball State finished in third with a 191.350.
"It was great to finally break into the 194s," head coach Derek Galvin said. "I was pleased with the team's performance on vault and bars. On floor and balance beam we have some things we can work on. Florida was very impressive."
The Tar Heels began the meet on uneven bars and it was their best event Friday night. Competing on bars for the first time this season, sophomore Morgan Evans recorded a 9.825 and tied a personal-best she set at the 2009 NCAA Regionals. Evans tied for fifth place. Wright tied for seventh on the event after her performance earned her a 9.800. Freshman Michelle Ikoma posted a 9.725 for 11th place. Junior Krista Jasper and senior Christine Nguyen tied for 12th place after both scored a 9.675. Taylor Brown finished in 14th place with a 9.650. Carolina scored a team total 48.700 on the event.
"Bars was our strongest event of the night," Galvin said. "Evans had a very strong routine and Wright had a strong performance as well."
On vault the Tar Heels posted a 48.650 total. Nguyen tied for second with a 9.900, Carolina's highest individual score of the night. Nguyen performed a Yurchenko one-and a half and stuck her landing. Wright tied for eighth after she scored a 9.800 and Ikoma placed 10th with a 9.725. Brown finished in 13th place on vault with a 9.625 and junior Karli Jones tied for 14th place with a 9.600.
Senior Tina Jacob led the Tar Heels on balance beam. Jacob tied for fifth place with a 9.850. Nguyen posted a 9.800 for eighth place and Wright finished in ninth with a 9.750. Jasper recorded a 9.650 and tied for 11th place and Ikoma tied for 15th with a 9.250. As a team, the Tar Heels scored a 48.300 on balance beam.
"Tina did her best routine of the year thus far," Galvin said.
On floor exercise the Tar Heels scored a 48.575 after losing two-tenths of a point to out-of-bounds penalties. Wright finished in a four-way tie for fifth place with a 9.850. Nguyen tied for ninth place with a 9.725 and Ikoma took 11th with a 9.725. Jones and Jacob tied for 12th place after each earned a 9.600 and Brown, who competed with a bruised achilles tendon, finished 15th with a 9.350.
In the all-around competition, Wright took third place with a 39.200 and tied a personal best she set in March 2009 at Maryland. Nguyen finished fourth with a 39.175. Ikoma continued to improve her all-around score and finished fifth with a 38.425.
"Kara had a really solid meet," Galvin said. "Michelle Ikoma had a good meet particularly on bars, vault and floor."
The Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill for a full week of training before hosting EAGL rival West Virginia on Saturday, March 13 for a 1 p.m. dual meet where they will kick off alumni reunion weekend.
"The team is excited for alumni weekend and the alumni dinner after the meet," Galvin said. "We are looking forward to having a lot of alumni back to see Carmichael Arena and the team."
Team Scores
The University of Florida- 197.550
The University of North Carolina- 194.225
all State University- 191.350
Vault- 48.650
2. Christine Nguyen- 9.900
8. Kara Wright- 9.800
10. Michelle Ikoma- 9.725
13. Taylor Brown- 9.625
14. Karli Jones- 9.600
18. Morgan Evans- 9.100
Uneven Bars- 48.700
5. Morgan Evans- 9.825
7. Kara Wright- 9.800
11. Michelle Ikoma- 9.725
12. Krista Jasper- 9.675
12. Christine Nguyen- 9.675
14. Taylor Brown- 9.650
Balance Beam- 48.300
5. Tina Jacob- 9.850
8. Christine Nguyen- 9.800
9. Kara Wright- 9.750
11. Krista Jasper- 9.650
15. Michelle Ikoma- 9.250
15. Morgan Evans- 9.250
Floor Exercise- 48.575
5. Kara Wright- 9.850
9. Christine Nguyen- 9.800
11. Michelle Ikoma- 9.725
12. Karli Jones- 9.600
12. Tina Jacob- 9.600
15. Taylor Brown- 9.350
All-Around
3. Kara Wright- 39.200
4. Christine Nguyen- 39.175
5. Michelle Ikoma- 38.425
