Tar Heels Return to North Carolina for a Weekend of Competition

Saturday, February 17

Raleigh, NC

6 p.m.

North Carolina

North Carolina State

Follwing Saturday's competition in Raleigh, Carolina will return home for the first time since Jan. 19th to face Brown on Monday, Feb. 19th..

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Tar Heels Return to North Carolina for a Weekend of Competition

February 15, 2018 | Women's Gymnastics

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Coming off a season-best performance at Oklahoma, the Carolina gymnastics team will finally take a break from travel and return to North Carolina for two competitions this weekend. The Tar Heels will take on NC State, Michigan, and Brown on Saturday, Feb. 17th in Raleigh, N.C. beginning at 6 p.m. Just two short days later, Carolina will host Brown in Carmichael Arena on Monday, Feb. 19th at 3:30 p.m.

The Tar Heels' performance against Oklahoma last weekend marked the second time since 2009 that Carolina has earned three rotation scores of at least 49.000 in the same meet. Carolina also scored at least 49.000 in three rotations against New Hampshire (vault, bars, floor) which makes this the first time in over 16 years that Carolina has scored 49.000 or above in three rotations in back-to-back meets.

Carolina's rotation scores were the best since earning 49.425 on floor on March 20, 2010 against Rutgers, 49.200 on vault on February 10, 2008 against NC State, and 49.225 on beam on March 14, 2008 against NC State, LSU, and George Washington.

"We are very pleased of course with the team's performance [at Oklahoma] on vault and floor and beam," said UNC head coach Derek Galvin. "We can still be even better on those events… I think in terms of building confidence, I hope that made them feel more confident about what they're capable of doing. And it seemed that their focus throughout the meet once we got away from bars was much better. So our intent is to bring that focus that we had in the last three events to the entire meet this weekend."

Although Carolina has yet to face Brown and Michigan, the Tar Heels have already seen NC State in action as they hosted the Wolfpack in their season opener. North Carolina took second in the team competition in that first rivalry meet, but they are excited about the chance at redemption.

"Any time we go over to Raleigh, we know that it's going to be an intense competition. We want to outscore them, they want to outscore us. Hopefully everybody is going to be putting their best foot forward."

WEEK #6: CAROLINA HITS SEASON-HIGH AGAINST NO. 1 RANKED OKLAHOMA

Carolina hit the road for the third straight week, this time facing two-time defending national champions, the Oklahoma Sooners. North Carolina took second in the competition with a season-high final score 195.750 to Oklahoma's season-high 198.150.

The Tar Heels set a new season-best overall score of 195.750 and also three new season-high rotation scores on vault (49.175), floor exercise (49.275), and beam (49.225). Additionally, Carolina improved upon nine individual scores to set new season bests for seven different student-athletes, and five gymnasts collectively set two new personal records and tied six career-best scores across all events.

The Tar Heels opened up the competition on bars, totaling 48.075 in the first rotation. Kaitlynn Hedelund led Carolina by tying her season-high bars score of 9.775 and Morgan Lane earned a 9.750 for her performance. Mekyllah Williams, Madison Nettles, and Grace Donaghy all contributed scores of 9.725, 9.700, and 9.150, respectively.

North Carolina hit their stride in the second rotation on vault and scored a season-high 49.175 in the event. Madison Nettles and Khazia Hislop both tied their personal records with scores of 9.875, a new season-high for Nettles and a matched season-high for Hislop. Nettles and Hislop also tied Oklahoma's Nicole Lehrmann for fourth-place honors. Kaitlynn Hedelund followed with her own season-best vault, earning a score of 9.850. Alexis Allen's vault resulted in a season-high score of 9.825 and Madison Hargrave tied her career record and season best score of 9.750.

Continuing their success, Carolina earned a season-high total score on floor of 49.275. Khazia Hislop tied two Sooners for third-place accolades with her score of 9.900. Morgan Lane recorded a season-high 9.875 for her performance, and Mikayla Robinson scored 9.850 on floor. Lily Dean tied her career best for the second time this season, making this week's competition her third time earning 9.825 in the event, and Madison Nettles also received 9.825 for her floor routine.

The Carolina gymnastics team topped off the night by hitting their first big beam score of the season, earning a season-high rotation score of 49.225. Morgan Lane took second with her matched career best of 9.950. Khazia Hislop finished in a three-way tied for fourth with her matched personal record of 9.900 and Alexis Allen followed with a 9.875 on beam. Raine Gordon set a new career record score of 9.825 on balance beam and Kaitlynn Hedelund added 9.675 to the Heels' season-best performance.

Morgan Lane once again improved her all-around total by 0.100 to bring her new season-high score to 39.300. Lane took second in the competition for the first time this season.

THE OPPONENTS: NC STATE, MICHIGAN, AND BROWN

NC State defeated North Carolina in the Tar Heel's home opener, 195.650 to 194.375. Ranked No. 29 in the country, the Wolfpack is ranked second in the EAGL conference with a season-high score of 196.350 in their meet against Ball State and William & Mary on Jan. 20th.

Michigan is currently ranked sixth in the nation and averages 196.563 on the season with a high of 197.550. In their season opener, the Wolverines defeated the then-fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide ,196.200 to 195.675. Since then, Michigan has compiled a season record of 5-1 season. Senior Brianna Brown is ranked 15th in the nation in the all-around competition and 22nd on beam, and junior Emma McLean is nationally ranked fifth on floor.

Heading into Saturday's competition, Brown's overall record this season is 3-7. The Bears hit a season-high 193.325 last weekend against Maryland, Rutgers, and William & Mary on the road in College Park, Md.