University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
EAGL Championship
North Carolina Takes Fourth at the EAGL Championships
March 19, 2016 | Women's Gymnastics
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The North Carolina gymnastics team concluded the 2016 season at the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championships on Saturday in Pittsburgh's Fitzgerald Field House. The Tar Heels finished in fourth place with a season-high score of 194.975. UNC defeated NC State (194.500) and Towson (193.875), but was edged out by Pittsburgh (195.675), New Hampshire (195.525) and George Washington (195.350).
A total of eight gymnasts were named to the First Team All-Tournament by placing in the top eight, while five earned Second Team All-Tournament honors for earning a place between 9th and 16th. Four of the eight first team honorees - Morgan Lane, Kaitlynn Hedelund, Josselyn Mackey and Lexi Cappalli - were on the uneven bars rotation.
"It was great for Lexi to be named to the First Team All-Tournament team after winning the EAGL Scholar Award [this week]," said UNC head coach Derek Galvin. "It was a fitting end to a great collegiate career."
“It was a really strong team effort. The team competed with composure and confidence,” said Galvin. “Everything came together for them today, which is when you want it to happen for them.”
Lane scored a career-high of 39.400 in the all-around competition to take second place overall.
“It is the fourth consecutive meet that [Lane] has improved her all-around personal best. She had a great meet [today],” said Galvin.
Cappalli notched a season-high of 38.900 to take seventh place in the all-around in her final meet as a Tar Heel. Christina Pheil took 10th place with a season-high score of 38.800, while Madison Nettles scored a 38.275 to take 13th place in the all-around.
Due to substantial injuries to several gymnasts, North Carolina was limited to only five athletes in the lineup in two of the four rotations, including vault and floor. Despite the minimal room for error, the Tar Heels managed to overcome abundant adversity and post a season-high team performance.
For the fourth consecutive meet, Sarah Peterson was unable to compete, while Hedelund was only in the lineup for two apparatuses – bars and beam.
“To go into a meet with only five on two events, it put us at a disadvantage, but the team performed very well,” said Galvin.
Galvin continued, “This team has worked through the challenge of injuries and earned the best team placing in the EAGL in the last three years.”
UNC kicked off the competition on the floor exercise, and the team posted a season-high score of 48.825. Lane led the way with a score of 9.900, which tied her career-high on the apparatus that was set on March 5 at William & Mary. This score earned Lane a tie for second place among all competitors. Pheil notched a score of 9.825, tying for ninth with Alex DeMoura of George Washington and Tyra McKellar of Towson. This score tied Pheil's season-high that was set on Feb. 19 in Washington, D.C. Lauren Weisel added a score of 9.750 to earn a tie for 19th place finish for the Tar Heels. Cappalli scored a 9.700, while Madison Nettles had a season-high of 9.650 on the floor.
The Tar Heels next competed on the vault, and the team notched a season-high score of 48.550. Lane tied her season-high of 9.775 to tie for 15th place in the event. This was Lane's second time tying her season-high, which was originally set on Feb. 12 in Carmichael Arena. Pheil and Nettles both had scores of 9.725 on the apparatus to finish in tie for 21st place. This score represented a season-high on the vault for Pheil. Cappalli tied for 25th place with a score of 9.700, while Weisel notched a score of 9.625 for the Tar Heels.
On the uneven bars, North Carolina had a season-high score of 48.975, which proved to be the Tar Heels' highest on Saturday afternoon. Hedelund led the way for the Tar Heels with a score of 9.825, which earned her a tie for third place among all competitors. Cappalli, Mackey and Lane all notched scores of 9.800 to tie for eighth place in the event. This score represented a season-high for Cappalli, and tied Mackey's season-high, which was set on March 5 at William & Mary. Nettles finished tied for 16th place with a season-best score of 9.750.
UNC finished out the 2016 EAGL Championships on the balance beam, where the team posted a score of 48.625. Lane led the Tar Heels with a score of 9.925 to take second place in the event. Mackey notched a score of 9.725 on the apparatus to tie for 17th place with Alexandra Zois of George Washington. Hedelund and Cappalli both had scores of 9.700 to tie for 19th place among all competitors. In addition, Pheil had a score of 9.575 on the apparatus for the Tar Heels.
“We had our best meet of the year,” said Galvin. “I was very happy for the team.”
Players Mentioned
