Dekanoidze, Forbes Win Individual Events In Victory Over George Washington

Friday, January 17

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6:45 p.m. ET

North Carolina

195.800

194.525

George Washington

Dekanoidze, Forbes Win Individual Events In Victory Over George Washington

January 17, 2025 | Women's Gymnastics

Results Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Highlighted by individual event winners Lali Dekanoidze and Kaya Forbes, North Carolina gymnastics defeated George Washington in its 2025 home opener on Friday night in Carmichael Arena.

The Tar Heels took down the Revolutionaries, 195.800-194.525. UNC's team score surpassed the 195.225 done in last week's season opener on the road.

Dekanoidze was the outright winner on bars with a 9.9. That marked her 30th career routine of 9.9+ across all four events, and her 18th on bars. Forbes was the floor champion after a stellar season-high 9.875.

All-Around
Julia Knower finished second in the all-around with a 38.95, higher than her 38.75 a week ago at Alabama in the 2025 season opener. The senior had marks of 9.775 on vault, 9.725 on bars, 9.625 on beam and 9.825 on floor. Her vault, bars and floor routines were also season-high scores.

Rotation One – Vault (48.8)
Knower kicked the night off in the leadoff spot on vault with a 9.775, bettering the 9.75 she did last weekend. Neve King had another 9.775 in the second position to crush her previous best of 9.6 from the season opener. Elly King and JoJo Valahovic both tallied 9.65s going third and fourth, respectively, while Forbes earned a 9.775 in the fifth slot. Dekanoidze anchored in a new season-high 9.825, eclipsing her 9.8 from a week ago.

1. Julia Knower – 9.775
2. Neve King – 9.775
3. Elly King – 9.65
4. JoJo Valahovic – 9.65
5. Kaya Forbes – 9.775
6. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.825
Exh. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.8

North Carolina totaled a 48.8 on its first rotation of the meet. George Washington scored a 49.025 on vault.

Rotation Two – Bars (49.0)
Knower again was in the leadoff spot to get things going on bars and received a 9.725, showing much improvement from her 9.45 last week at Alabama. N. King went second and scored a 9.7 in her first collegiate bars routine, followed by Gwen Fink's 9.775. Isabelle Schaefer earned a season-high 9.875 going fifth and Dekanoidze scored her first 9.9 of the season as anchor. Dekanoidze, the reigning ACC champion, won the bars title.

1. Julia Knower – 9.725
2. Neve King – 9.7
3. Kaya Forbes – 9.725
4. Gwen Fink – 9.775
5. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.875
6. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.9
Exh. Claire Stippich – 9.65

The Tar Heels put together a 49.0 on bars, bettering their 48.75 done in Tuscaloosa a week ago. The Revolutionaries had to count some falls for a total team score of 47.55.

Rotation Three – Beam (48.8)
Jessica Naranjo started off with a strong beam routine which earned a 9.85 to surpass her 9.825 from the season opener. Valahovic, a freshman in the second position, also notched a 9.85 to match her career high. Schulze recorded a 9.725 in the third slot to better her 9.675 against the Crimson Tide. Knower went fifth and got a 9.625 with McBride scoring 9.75 as the anchor.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.85
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.85
3. Taylor Schulze – 9.725
4. Gwen Fink – 9.075
5. Julia Knower – 9.625
6. Regan McBride – 9.75
Exh. Claire Stippich – 9.75

UNC did not have to count a fall on beam for the second week in a row, finishing its third rotation with a 48.8. GWU had a total team score of 48.95 on beam.

Rotation Four – Floor (49.15)
Naranjo again put together a great leadoff routine on floor as her 9.775 topped her previous career-high 9.725 from last week. Valahovic followed that with a career high of her own with a 9.825, well above the 8.6 she had a week prior in her college debut. Forbes impressed with a 9.875 going fourth, just off her career-high 9.9 for a new season's best. Knower went fifth and registered a 9.825, a tenth better than last week. Bella Miller anchored in a season-high 9.85 which was right on her career best of 9.875.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.775
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.825
3. Gwen Fink – 8.75
4. Kaya Forbes – 9.875
5. Julia Knower – 9.825
6. Bella Miller – 9.875
Exh. Claire Stippich – 8.75

North Carolina totaled 49.15 on its final rotation, strides ahead of its 48.325 on floor a week ago at Alabama. George Washington had a cumulative floor score of 49.0.

Up Next
The Tar Heels are back in Carmichael Arena on Friday, Jan. 24, to begin Atlantic Coast Conference action against in-state rival NC State. Action begins at 6:45 p.m. ET and will air on ACCNX. Tickets are available for purchase here.

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