This past weekend, the North Carolina gymnastics team traveled for its first two quad meets of the season. The Tar Heels traveled to Raleigh on Friday for a meet against N.C. State, Pittsburgh and William & Mary. On Sunday, UNC traveled to Towson, Md. to compete in the Shelli Calloway Invitational against Towson, West Virginia and Temple. The Tar Heels won both meets, scoring 195.675 on Friday and 195.525 on Sunday.
North Carolina originally had a quad meet scheduled a week prior, but it was canceled due to the water crisis in Chapel Hill.
What happened?
Friday’s meet was characterized by record-breaking performances. The Tar Heels won the quad meet at Reynolds Coliseum with a score of 195.675, the highest team score since 2013. Junior Morgan Lane topped her season-high score for the all-around and had a career performance on the balance beam. The Tar Heels seemed to waver during the vault, risking the first place spot that they held in the first two rotations. But UNC gained momentum as first-year Emma Marchese secured the win during her balance beam routine.
UNC continued to dominate in Maryland on Sunday. The team finished first with a score of 195.525, besting second-place Towson (195.025). Lane placed second for the all-around with a score only 0.025 points less than her season-best score on Friday. First-year Khazia Hislop stood out for floor, placing first with a score of 9.900, while Lane took first in beam with 9.925.
Who stood out?
At the Tar Heels' quad meet at N.C. State, Lane stood out by securing a season-high all-around score of 39.325 — only 0.075 off of her career best that she set at the EAGL Championship last season — and tying her career-best score of 9.950 for balance beam. She also tied her career high for the uneven bars (9.825), matching her score set nearly a year ago against William & Mary.
At the Shelli Calloway Invitational, another all-around competitor for UNC stepped up alongside Lane — junior Madison Nettles. At the beginning of the season, head coach Derek Galvin and Lane both hinted at a potential all-around that could come from the team; however, the girls must earn the position first by finishing in the top six for each event during practice.
Her 9.825 score on the floor exercise beat her previous career best (9.650) set during last year’s EAGL Championship. This secured her a third-place finish in all-around with a career-best score of 39.175, only 0.125 behind Lane.
