The NC State women’s gymnastics team will be traveling to UNC-Chapel Hill for its first EAGL competition this Friday at 7 p.m. The Wolfpack has had a strong start to the beginning of its season. The Pack competed against Illinois-Chicago and Northern Illinois for the Tri-Meet, where the team earned its first wins and a clean 2-0 record.
The team has demonstrated strong performances in all disciplines but shined in the floor routine. Four of the Pack’s members placed in the top five ranks. Senior Mackenzie Itcush, junior Alexa Phillips and sophomore Drew Grantham all scored fourth place. Senior Chelsea Knight placed first with a 9.800 score.
Knight was a large contributor to the Pack’s success, picking up four wins as her performances really helped the team have a clean start. Not only did Knight place first on the floor but also in the vault with a 9.800 score and first all-around with an overall score of 39.075. Knight’s fourth placement was on the beam at second with a 9.800 score.
There are high hopes for Knight’s continued performance of excellence based on previous years. In 2017, Knight made the All-EAGL first team for the vault, bars and all-around. She was also a qualifier for all-around in the NCAA regional championship and All-EAGL second team for the beams.
Junior Caitlyn Fillard also placed all-around at fifth with a cumulative score of 37.925 and placed fifth on the vault with a score of 9.700.
Despite the win, the Pack was only 0.5 points higher than second-place Illinois-Chicago and 1.425 points above Northern Illinois.
Last season, the Wolfpack was defeated by UNC by 0.65 points. The all-around members that placed were Grantham in third and junior Paris Phillips in fifth. Knight only placed in two events, the bars with first and the vault in fourth.
But the Wolfpack had scored higher than the Tar Heels in individual events such as the floor, which was a highlight for the Pack in its recent competition.
The close loss will help to motivate the team and its performance this upcoming Friday in hopes of claiming a third win of the season and first EAGL competition to remain undefeated thus far.
