ACC Gymnastics Week 9 Recap: Wolfpack wows while UNC, Pitt, and Clemson stumble on beam 

This week in ACC gymnastics, NC State posted their second-highest score of the season at home on Saturday with a 197 and a win. Meanwhile, UNC, Pitt, and Clemson each tabbed second-place finishes on the road amid rocky beam rotations. 

Read on for highlights from Week 9.

Quad meet @ #21 NC State

Final score: NC State: 197.000, Iowa State: 196.700, NIU: 195.200, Temple: 194.425

The Wolfpack took a one-tenth lead over Iowa State in the first rotation with a 49.175 on vault, highlighted by Alexis Ortega’s 9.85 and Ashley Knight’s front handspring pike half (9.85). 

Bars was NC State’s best team score of the day with a 49.4. Madeline Reid earned a career-high of 9.925, and Katie Harper built off of Reid with a 9.95 after her stuck double layout. Emily Shepard added another 9.95 to anchor the rotation and tie Harper for first place.

On beam, the Wolfpack posted a 49.1, earning four scores of 9.825 and not reaching the 9.9 mark. After three rotations, Iowa State took the lead by 0.075. 

NC State capped their night with a 49.325 on floor en route to a 197 team score and a three-tenth win over the Cyclones. Katya Edwards earned a career-high 9.925 and Shepard matched that score for a three-way tie for first (with ISU’s Kaia Parker). Shepard also won the all-around with a 39.525.

Head coach Kim Landrus spoke after the meet on her team’s win and continuing to build leading into the postseason:  “This team is special because they have such a passion for the sport and each other. I think we will just continue building each other up every day in the gym and hone in on the details, so we can show it out on the competition floor.” 

Upcoming matchups: 

• Thursday, March 7 @ 1 p.m. ET | Maryland, North Carolina State, Pennsylvania @ Temple
• Sunday, March 10 @ 4 p.m. ET | Penn State, Pennsylvania, Texas Woman’s @ North Carolina State (NC State Senior Day)

Clemson @ Texas Woman’s quad meet

Final score: OU: 198.300, Clemson: 196.350, TWU: 196.275, Penn: 194.825

Clemson started with struggles on beam, scoring a 48.575, over seven-tenths lower than last week’s 49.3. The Tigers had to count two scores of 9.675, and Rebecca Wells was the only one to reach 9.8. 

They got back on track on floor with a 49.350, with both Eve Jackson and Brie Clark firing 9.9s after their powerful routines. 

On vault, Clemson earned a 49.225, with Wells notching a 9.85, Molly Arnold matching that score with her Yurchenko 1.5, and Madison Minner anchoring with a 9.9. 

The Tigers ended their day with a 49.2 on bars after Kaitlin DeGuzman’s stuck double layout dismount  scored a 9.9. With a 196.350 that earned second place to powerhouse Oklahoma, but was one point lower than last weekend’s 197.350, Clemson will be looking to earn big scores the next few meets to improve their NQS and climb back up the rankings.

Upcoming matchup:

• Friday, March 8 @ 7 p.m. | Air Force @ Clemson (Clemson Senior Night)

Pitt @ West Virginia quad meet

Final Score: Towson: 196.325, Pitt: 195.225, WVU: 195.000, Western Michigan: 194.625

The Panthers took an early lead after a 49 on floor with Jah’Liyah Bedminster’s 9.85 and anchor Jordyn Ewing’s 9.875.  

On vault, Pitt scored a 48.7, 0.250 lower than last week’s meet. Shruthi Anand was the highlight of the rotation with a stuck front handspring pike half (9.825), and Bedminster anchored with a 9.8. 

After two rotations, Towson took the lead over Pitt. On bars, the Panthers scored a 48.9 to miss last week’s mark by 0.125. Ewing stuck her blind full double back to earn a 9.85, and Bedminster anchored for a 9.825.

Pitt improved their beam score to a 48.625, which was seven-tenths higher than last week, but it wasn’t enough to put them in contention for the win. They had to count two scores of 9.675, and Hallie Copperwheat was the only one to break into the 9.8s.

Upcoming matchup: 

• Friday, March 8 @ 7 p.m. ET |  Bowling Green @ Pittsburgh (Pitt Senior Night)

North Carolina @ Nebraska quad meet

Final score: Nebraska: 197.125, UNC: 195.200, SEMO: 194.375, Illinois State: 193.650

The Tar Heels started off on bars with a 48.950 after two 9.85s from Isabelle Schaefer and Lali Dekanoidze, tying with Nebraska for second after rotation one.

UNC lost steam on beam with a 48.575 after a fall in the fifth spot from Taylor Schulze caused them to count a 9.425. Gwen Fink and Julia Knower led the way for the team with 9.85 and 9.875, respectively. Knower was in a six-way tie for the beam title with that 9.875.

The Tar Heels showed a 0.350 improvement on floor after last week’s struggles at Clemson but still couldn’t break into the 49s. Bella Miller and Knower both earned 9.8s to bring the floor total to 48.800.

Ending the meet on vault with a 48.875, UNC’s Dekanoidze was the highlight with a 9.85, tying for the event title. Without breaking into the 49s on any event, the Tar Heels’ 195.200 resulted in a second-place finish to Nebraska, approximately two points back from the Cornhuskers.

Upcoming matchup:

• Friday, March 8 @ 7:30 p.m. | Kentucky @ North Carolina (UNC Senior Night)