Dekanoidze Wins Twice At NC State Tri-Meet

Saturday, February 4

Raleigh, NC

4 p.m.

North Carolina

195.975

196.275

NC State

February 4, 2023 | Women's Gymnastics

Complete Results

RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of North Carolina gymnastics team posted the highest score of the meet on bars and Lali Dekanoidze won two events as it finished second overall at the NC State tri-meet Saturday afternoon at the James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

UNC topped Western Michigan, 195.975-195.525, but fell to host NC State, 195.975-196.275. The Tar Heels move to 6-3 overall on the year.

Rotation One – Beam
The Tar Heels began the meet on beam with Elizabeth Culton, a 2021 All-America selection on this event, scoring a team-high 9.825 to place second overall. Julia Knower checked in at 9.800 while Gwen Fink and Hallie Thompson both had marks of 9.750. Taylor Schulze rounded out the scorers with a 9.700.

Carolina's team score of 48.825 was ahead of Western Michigan's 48.675 but trailed NC State's 48.950.

Rotation Two – Floor
Knower continued to impress on floor as she has all season by tying for first with a 9.925, her second-best mark of the year. Kate Greene set a new career best for the second meet in a row at 9.850, which was also the same score Culton produced. Kaya Forbes and Nam also contributed to UNC's total with respective scores of 9.725 and 9.650.

Both Western Michigan (49.175) and UNC's East Atlantic Gymnastics League foe (49.275) scored higher than the Tar Heels' total of 49.000.

Rotation Three – Vault
Dekanoidze tied for first on vault with a 9.850, her second highest score of the season. Knower matched her season-best with a 9.825 and Forbes, the reigning EAGL Co-Rookie of the Week, registered a 9.800. Fink and Paige Prejean both notched 9.725s, with the latter blasting past their previous collegiate best of 9.550 set a week prior.

The Tar Heels had the second-highest vault score of the meet at 48.925, right behind the Wolfpack (49.000) and above the Broncos (48.875).

Rotation Four – Bars
Carolina had its best rotation last on bars by claiming first and second place. Dekanoidze, UNC's school record holder, won the event for the fourth-straight meet at 9.950, her third time at or above that score this season. Isabelle Schaefer and Culton were the runners-up at 9.875 while Knower (9.775) and Jamie Shearer (9.750) also scored.

UNC's total team score of 49.225 was the highest mark on that rotation of the three competing teams, well ahead of NC State's 48.950 and Western Michigan's 48.800.

Up Next
The Tar Heels continue their three-meet road stretch with a visit to Durham, New Hampshire, on Sunday, Feb. 12, for an EAGL quad meet with George Washington, LIU and host UNH. The meet is slated to begin at 1 p.m. ET inside Lundholm Gymnasium, the same site as the 2023 EAGL Championships next month.

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