UNC Quad Meet 1/28/06

by Jeffery Hayne

The University of North Carolina gymnastics team suffered their first losses of the season, and the University of Kentucky remained undefeated, after a four-way meet on Jan. 29 at Carmicheal Auditorium on the UNC campus.  Falls on the beam and floor exercises knocked Carolina from a tie for first place -after the second rotation - down to third place in the final standings.  Kentucky won the meet with a score of 193.450. Maryland placed second (191.975), Tar Heels were third (191.725) and James Madison was fourth (183.350).

“We started off really strong,” North Carolina head coach Derek Galvin said. “It was the strongest we’ve looked on vault all year.”  The Tar Heels scored season-high scores on both vault and uneven bars, scoring 48.925 and 48.050 respectively.  North Carolina held the top four spots on vault, led by junior Courtney Bumpers (9.875).  Bumpers and Christine Robella led UNC on bars, tying for second place.

Carolina and Kentucky were tied at 96.975 after two rotations. Maryland was third with 95.625 and James Madison was in fourth with 93.125.  However, the team’s struggles began on the beam where the team recorded several falls. “Balance beam was a tough event for us today,” Galvin said. “We need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We have good quality routines, but we just need to gain consistency, which we will as the season progresses.”  Carolina’s only top-six finisher on the beam was Mikel Hester with a 9.775.

After three rotations, Kentucky was in the lead with 135.225. UNC (133.575) was edging out Maryland (133.55). James Madison was in fourth with 132.875.  The team also saw a fall and out-of-bounds penalties during the floor exercise.  Hester and Robella tied for first in the event with 9.825, but it wasn’t enough for Carolina to move up in the ranks.

“Lacking is not effort or enthusiasm,” Galvin said. “The girls are putting it all out there. We just need to gain consistency.”  

Robella finished first in the all-around with a 39.15. Krystle Cook of Kentucky was second (38.85) and Rachel Martinez was third (38.775).

Carolina will have another shot at Maryland next weekend when they meet at the 11th Annual Governor’s Cup in Maryland.

Final standings

Kentucky     193.45
Maryland     191.975
UNC            191.725
JMU            183.35

Vault

1 – 9.875 Courtney Bumpers (UNC)
2 – 9.85 Christine Robella (UNC)
3 – 9.825 Jennifer Valby (UNC)
4 – 9.8 Mikel Hester (UNC)
5 – 9.75 Angela Ferg (UM)
6 – 9.725 Lucy Burgin (UK)

Bars

1 – 9.85 Krystle Cook (UK)
2 – 9.825 Courtney Bumpers (UNC)
2 – 9.825 Courtney Bumpers (UNC)
2 – 9.825 Lucy Burgin (UK)
5 – 9.775 Natalie Rubinstein (UK)

Beam

1 – 9.825 Heather Hite (UK)
1 – 9.825 Kristen O’Shields (UK)
3 – 9.775 Mikel Hester (UNC)
4 – 9.75 Krystle Cook (UK)
4 – 9.75 Rachel Riley (UK)
4 – 9.75 Jessica Caravello (JMU)

Floor

1 – 9.825 Mikel Hester (UNC)
1 – 9.825 Christine Robella (UNC)
3 – 9.8 Heather Hite (UK)
4 – 9.775 Rachel Martinez (UM)
5 – 9.7 Krystle Cook (UK)
6 – Lucy Burgin (UK)

All-around

1 – 39.15 Christine Robella (UNC)
2 – 38.85 Krystle Cook (UK)
3 – 38.775 Rachel Martinez (UM)
4 – 38.075 Courtney Bumpers (UNC)
5 – 38.025 Natalie Rubinstein (UK)