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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — West Virginia (0-1) nearly upset No. 17 Penn State (1-3) in the Mountaineers season-debut but ultimately fell to the Nittany Lions 195.750-195.325.
The close battle saw freshman Abbie Pierson clinch two first-place finishes in the vault and balance beam, while Chloe Cluchey picked up a top placement in the floor exercise.
Pearson’s 9.90 score in vault edged PSU’s Alissa Bonsall (9.825) ad Kourtney Chinnery (9.800), while Cluchey and Kianna Yancey tied for 4th with a score of 9.775.
Further, Pierson hit a 9.900 in the beam, edging PSU’s Cassidy Rushlow and Tess McCracken — who tied for 2nd — at 9.875. Penn State’s Jessie Bastardi and WVU’s McKenna Linnen and Abby Kaufman all tied for 4th at 9.800.
Cluchey’s win edged Penn State’s Lauren Bridgens by just 0.025 of a point, as the senior landed a 9.850. Alissa Bonsall and Erica Fontaine split 3rd with scores of 9.800, while Ruslow closed out the top 5 with a 9.775.
Penn State picked up wins in the All Around Competition and won the top 3 spots in the uneven bars.
West Virginia returns to action on Jan. 17 at Iowa State.
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