Gymnastics Beats UNC-Chapel Hill, 196.650-194.800
2/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ?? The Alabama Gymnastic team used a highflying uneven bars rotation and a career night from junior Terin Humphrey to come away with a 196.650-194.800 victory over the Tar Heels of North Carolina in front of 9,934 fans here in Coleman Coliseum.
Junior Terin Humphrey tied her career best to win the all-around with a 39.575, followed by freshman Ricki Lebegern, who scored her third consecutive 39.350 to take second.
Humphrey also posted the highest score of the night on the vault with a 9.900 and the floor exercise where she and freshman Morgan Dennis tied at 9.925.
“The young lady sitting next to me (Terin Humphrey) has upgraded her routine three weeks in a row now,” head coach Sarah Patterson said. “She has a new skill on bars, new tumbling pass (on the floor exercise), and new balance beam dismount. I just think to see someone who was an Olympian come in and continue to get better ... that says a lot. It’s a good leadership role for our team.”
Freshman Kassi Price posted a career high 9.95 to win the uneven bars and freshman Casey Overton tied for first on the balance beam with UNC’s Christine Nguyen with a 9.85.
“There are some things we need to work on and tweak a little more,” Patterson said. “We are trying to put ourselves in position were we have an opportunity to contend.”
Alabama started the night off with a solid 49.325 on the vault, led by a 9.9 by Humphrey, tying her career best. Lebegern led the Tide off with a 9.875, also trying her best. Dennis and sophomores Ashley O’Neal and Brittany Magee all scored 9.85s to round out the rotation. The Tar Heels scored a 48.85 on the vault.
Coleman Coliseum came alive on the second rotation, when three Tide gymnasts scored 9.9 or better pacing the team to a 49.425 team score. Price led the way with a career best 9.95, followed by a season best 9.925 from Humphrey and a 9.9 from sophomore Cassie Martin. Lebegern posted a career best of her own with a 9.825. It was the Tide’s second highest uneven bars score of the season. UNC scored a 48.75 on the uneven bars.
Alabama scored a 48.525 on the balance beam led by a 9.85 from Overton. A pair of breaks from Magee and Price meant the Tide counted a 9.275 in its final total. UNC finished the night off with a 48.175 on the beam.
Senior Erin Rightley opened the Tide’s final rotation, the floor exercise, with a 9.825, a score echoed by junior Kaitlin White in the second spot. Lebegern scored a 9.875 in the third spot. Humphrey and Dennis closed out the night for Alabama with a pair of 9.925s to push Alabama to a 49.375. UNC scored a 48.975 on the floor exercise.
Alabama returns to conference competition next Friday, facing the LSU Tigers at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information go to RollTide.com or visit the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262), located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum.
