Watts Places First All-Around, UNC First

Saturday, March 16

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

March 16, 2013 | Women's Gymnastics

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Chapel Hill- The North Carolina gymnastics team placed first on Saturday in Carmichael Arena, with a score of 194.025 to top the University of Pennsylvania. The Quakers finished second, earning a 191.525. The competition marked the last regular season competition for seniors Elizabeth Durkac and Maura Masatsugu.

Sophomore Haley Watts placed first in the all-around competition with a score of 39.125. Durkac placed third all-around, scoring a 38.450.

UNC began the meet on the vault, where the team finished with a score of 48.450. Watts led the Tar Heels with a score of 9.800. Durkac and freshman Sarah Peterson each scored a 9.750. Freshman Lexi Cappalli notched a 9.625, and junior Michelle Ikoma rounded out UNC's vault performance with a 9.525.

Next, the Tar Heels moved to compete on the bars, where the team scored a 49.175. Durkac led North Carolina, scoring a 9.875. Watts and Cappalli were close behind, both scoring a 9.850. Ikoma, junior Emily Cornwell and freshman Josselyn Mackey tied for fourth with a 9.800.

"We had one of the strongest team performances on uneven bars that we've had in the 32 years that I've been here," head coach Derek Galvin said. "Unfortunately, we didn't follow that with an assertive performance on balance beam."

Advancing to the beam, North Carolina finished with a 47.225. Mackey topped the Tar Heels' lineup with a 9.700. Watts and junior Meredith Magjuka both finished with a 9.650. Masatsugu scored a 9.175, and sophomore Janell Sargent rounded out North Carolina's scores with a 9.050.

The Tar Heels finished the competition on the floor with a score of 49.175. Durkac and Cappalli both led North Carolina, scoring a 9.850. Ikoma, Peterson and Watts rounded out the team's scores, each earning a 9.825.

"It's an emotional day," Galvin said. "We've got two seniors, this is their final regular-season home meet. We've got some things that we need to focus on to get ready for the EAGL Championships."

North Carolina will compete in the EAGL Championships at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23. The competition will be held in Chapel Hill, N.C. Tickets will be available on goheels.com.