University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Tar Heels Dominate in First Home Win of the Season
February 20, 2011 | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 20, 2011
CHAPEL HILL-- The University of North Carolina gymnastics team competed its best meet of the season against the Pittsburgh Panthers on Sunday, Feb. 20. The Tar Heels posted their highest score of the season, a 195.650 to top Pitt's 193.550.
"It was a season high for the team this year," said Head Coach Derek Galvin. "It was our best meet; I think it was obvious we were performing at a higher level this week than we were last week. I think the team is a little bit healthier; we've had some people who were sick the last couple of weeks."
"It's hard to say that any one person stood out because the entire team lifted their level of performance."
The Tar Heels began strong on vault with every gymnast in the lineup completing 10.0 start-value vaults. Acacia Cosentino was up first, improving her execution from last week for a 9.5. Taylor Brown competed next, scoring a 9.675. Freshman Kristin Aloi also increased her score from last week, hitting a 9.575. Krista Jasper scored a 9.675 for seventh.
Morgan Evans and Zoya Johnson finished with huge vaults for the Tar Heels. Evans stuck her landing for third place and a 9.775. In her strongest event, Johnson did not disappoint, completing a Yurchenko layout full for a score of 9.825 and first place. The team finished with a 48.525 on vault.
"The way we approached training this week, we focused on things that help you maintain balance, and we focused on things that help you create more power," said Galvin. "I think going through those things in practice; they knew they'd be ready. It's a matter of letting your body do what its capable of doing and believing that you can do it."
The Tar Heels went 7-for-7 on the uneven bars, achieving a season-high team score of 48.975. Jasper provided a strong start for the team, upgrading to a giant full into her dismount for a 9.75, putting her in seventh place. Next up was Emily Cornwell, scoring a solid 9.65. Senior Teri Diamond impressed again, sticking her landing to tie her career high at 9.8 for third. Elizabeth Durkac was a highlight of the bar lineup. She scored a 9.825 nailing her dismount and hitting a 1 1/2. The score was enough for first place, a season high and a tie of her career best.
Evans performed another dynamic bar routine with a high level of difficulty for a 9.775 and fifth place. Johnson executed her best routine of the season nabbing first place with a personal best score of 9.825. Elizabeth Lindley performed in her first meet of the season, sticking her landing for a 9.525.
"Everyday in practice they come in prepared to really apply themselves," said Galvin. "It's not that this week they worked any harder, they just kept doing what they've been doing. We just keep getting stronger and we keep cleaning up and polishing the execution."
The team performed its best balance beam rotation of the season, confidently sticking dismounts for a team score of 48.975. Jasper started the Tar Heels off with a lot of confidence after hitting her routine. She tied a career high of 9.8, enough for third place. Johnson competed on beam for the first time this season since sustaining a concussion injury. In her first outing she posted a 9.275 for tenth.
Durkac performed next hitting her best set of the season for first place and a career high at 9.85. Maura Masatsugu kept the momentum going, as she confidently hit her elements and executed a clean dismount for a score of 9.8 and a third place finish. Evans continued her strong all-around performance on beam. She had a huge dismount, sticking it for second place, tying a career high at 9.825. Diamond ended the rotation for the Tar Heels, performing an exhibition for an improved score of 9.55.
"The team looked more composed and more confident on beam this week," said Galvin. "Each week we've gotten a little better on beam and I though this was certainly the best outing by far."
"Each time before we practice beam we're like it doesn't matter what happens, we're going to make this routine," said Evans. "Don't think about anything, just think about what you're going to do and that's what helped."
The Tar Heels would sweep floor, taking the top four spots in the individual results. It continued to be Aloi's best event as she took first place, posting a 9.875 for a career high. Brown would tie with teammate Evans for second place, both with a strong score of 9.85. Brown stuck all of her tumbling passes, hitting an impressive high-flying double tuck. Evans looked equally as dynamic; starting with a difficult double pike, she continued to hit the rest of her passes to tie her career high on floor.
Jasper finished her all-around day with a 9.825 on floor for fourth place. Durkac competed a dynamic routine finishing with a 2 ½ twist for a career-high score of 9.775, taking sixth place. Cornwell scored a 9.650 for tenth place and Cosentino and Magjuka both competed exhibition routines for scores of 9.6 and 9.725, respectively. The Tar Heels finished floor with a 49.175, another season best score.
Evans won her fifth all-around title, scoring a 39.225. She ended the day with top-five finishes in every event, tying her career highs on floor and beam. Jasper took second place in the competition but would post a 39.050, a personal best all-around score.
"I think this was the first meet that we were able to show what this team is capable of," said Galvin. "I think it's going to be a wonderful confidence builder for them. One of the things we talked to them about at the end of the meet was this feeling you have right now--knowing that you did well, you did your best, you put everything out there--this is the feeling you want to have after each meet. I felt this was the kind of meet we needed to have to start building towards an EAGL championship."
The Carolina gymnastics team will visit EAGL rival West Virginia in its next competition of the season. The meet starts at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26.
Team Scores-
North Carolina- 195.650 Pittsburgh- 193.550Vault- 48.525
1. Zoya Johnson- 9.825 3. Morgan Evans- 9.775 7. Taylor Brown- 9.675 7. Krista Jasper- 9.675 11. Kristin Aloi- 9.575 12. Acacia Cosentino- 9.5Uneven Bars- 48.975
1. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.825 1. Zoya Johnson- 9.825 3. Teri Diamond- 9.8 5. Morgan Evans- 9.775 7. Krista Jasper- 9.75 10. Emily Cornwell- 9.65Beam- 48.975
1. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.850 2. Morgan Evans- 9.825 3. Krista Jasper- 9.8 3. Maura Masatsugu- 9.8 7. Kristin Aloi- 9.7 11. Zoya Johnson- 9.275Floor- 49.175
1. Kristin Aloi- 9.875 2. Taylor Brown- 9.85 2. Morgan Evans- 9.85 4. Krista Jasper- 9.825 6. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.775 10. Emily Cornwell- 9.65All-Around
1. Morgan Evans- 39.225 2. Krista Jasper- 39.050
Players Mentioned
