Gymnastics: WVU Drops Meet at OSU

By Shannon McNamara for WVUsports.com
February 12, 2011 06:30 PM

Amy Bieski

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite a ferocious comeback that included career-best numbers in the fourth rotation and a season-high team total, the West Virginia gymnastics team narrowly fell at No. 15 Ohio State, 195.6-195.1, this afternoon, at St. John Arena.

The Mountaineers (6-4, 3-1 EAGL) tallied their season-best score despite not winning an event; the mark is the team’s first 195-plus score of the season.

The Buckeyes (4-2-1, 1-0-1 Big Ten) scored victories on vault (49.15-49.125), bars (48.775-48.575) and floor (49.175-48.9). The teams tied on beam with 48.5 showings.

“We had a lot of personal bests today, and I’m happy to have broken the 195.0 point barrier and score a season-best,” says coach Linda Burdette-Good. “We saw improvements today, especially on beam, but I know our best gymnastics is still ahead of us. We need to put together a complete meet, and we will.”

Senior Amy Bieski scored a season-best 39.2 and finished third in the all-around. The Nanticoke, Pa., native’s career point total now stands at 1,745.6, and she ranks eighth on the all-time WVU career points list.

The Buckeyes’ Melanie Shaffer finished first overall with a 39.325 score, while teammate Colleen Dean scored 39.225 and finished in second place.

WVU opened the meet on bars with a 48.575 showing, while OSU scored 49.15 on vault and grabbed the early lead.

Bieski paced the Mountaineers on the apparatus, matching her season-best score of 9.8 and finishing in a first-place tie with Dean. Junior Nicole Roach competed in the lineup’s second position and finished second on the team, third overall, with a 9.775 score, while sophomore Kaylyn Millick tallied 9.725 points and finished in sixth place with the meet’s third-best score.

The Mountaineers continued their recent string of strong vault rotations, scoring 49.125 and pushing their team total to 97.7 after two events. The Buckeyes scored 48.775 on bars and retained their lead with 97.925 points.

Bieski scored her second season high of the meet on vault, finishing second overall with a 9.875 mark. After scoring a career-best 9.9 at Penn State on Feb. 6, sophomore Alaska Richardson stuck another tough vault and tied Bieski for second place. Junior Tina Maloney scored 9.8 and finished fifth overall.

WVU wrestled away the lead from OSU in the third rotation, scoring 48.9 on floor and pushing its team total to 146.6. The Buckeyes earned 48.5 on beam and dropped to second place with a 146.425 team total.

Millick competed one of her cleanest routines of the season and paced the Mountaineers with a 9.85 score, good enough for second place. Sloanhoffer scored 9.8 and finished in sixth place, while Richardson scored a career-best 9.775 and finished seventh.

Despite scoring a solid 48.5 on beam in the fourth rotation and posting three career-best scores, it was not enough, as OSU earned 49.175 on floor and secured the win.

Sloanhoffer matched a career best and tied Rebecca Best for first place with a 9.875 score. Sophomore Chelsea Goldschrafe opened the rotation with a season-best 9.825 mark, good enough for third place, while Bieski finished sixth overall and scored 9.775, the meet’s fourth-best mark. Additionally, sophomore Arlene Hathaway scored a career-high 9.725 score.

WVU continues to trail OSU in the all-time series, 15-11.

The Mountaineers return home next weekend and play host to No. 1 Florida, along with East Atlantic Gymnastics League foes New Hampshire and George Washington, on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m., at the WVU Coliseum. The meet is a designated “Dollar Day”, with all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas available for the purchase of just one dollar.

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