MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A season-best score of 196.425 was not enough to give the West Virginia gymnastics team its third sweep of the season, as the Mountaineers finished in second place Sunday, at the WVU Coliseum.
Pitt scored 196.5 and finished first overall, while Rutgers placed third with a 195.3.
The Mountaineers (11-7, 0-2) matched the 15th-best score in program history thanks to three first-place event showings. WVU was most impressive on balance beam, where all six gymnasts scored 9.8 or better, giving the Mountaineers a season-high 49.225 score. The event total matches the fourth-best score in program history.
“It’s that point in the year where everyone is watching around the country trying to predict who is going to end up where in the postseason,” Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. “It is very important this time of year, especially in an event like beam, for us to be peaking. We’ve had that same talent all year long on that event. We’re getting into that grove. We’re finding the lineup that is going to work, and sometimes it takes time. I’d rather be peaking now than having peaked in January.”
West Virginia also finished first on floor exercise with a 49.375. The Mountaineers’ floor total marks the fourth consecutive meet and fifth time this season WVU has scored 49.0+. It also is the Mountaineers’ second-highest floor score of the year.
Senior Chloe Cluchey posted a personal best on floor, scoring 9.95 in the No. 3 position to win the event outright. Cluchey’s total was the team’s highest individual score of the season. The Woodbridge, Virginia, native has scored 9.9 or better twice this season and has won the event outright three times. She also is the first WVU gymnast to earn a 9.95+ since Kirah Koshinski scored a 9.975 last season.
In addition to its wins on beam and floor, West Virginia also finished first on uneven bars with a season-high 48.975 score.
