N.C. State climbed out of an early deficit to claim the program’s fifth East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championship, the first since 2009, Saturday with a score of 195.175. The team scored a decisive 49.125 points after trailing Maryland by 49.050 late in the contest, squeaking out the win by .075.
Senior Rachel Fincham said at the top on the list of team goals, which hangs inside the gym as a daily reminder, was winning the EAGL Championship.
“When you win it’s not necessarily for yourself,” Fincham said. “We were so excited because our coaches got the win, our school got that win. Being on top at the end of the year, constantly improving and being on top of where we think we should be would be a great way to go out. … Moving forward it’s a great confidence boost and a great morale boost.”
UNC-Chapel Hill, Maryland, George Washington, Pittsburgh, New Hampshire, Rutgers and Towson all competed in the event.
Maryland finished second overall with 195.100 and Pittsburgh finished third with 194.875 points.
After starting with a bye in the first rotation, the team took to the vault. Junior Diahanna Ham claimed third with a score of 9.875, the highest score for the Pack on vault. The team scored 48.950 after the second rotation.
Fincham took the uneven bars title with a score of 9.85, the first State gymnast to win the honor since Lauren Deuser and Brittany Vontz tied for the title in 2009. Junior Stephanie Ouellette finished second to Fincham in the bars event with 9.775.
State led the match at the mid-way point with a score of 97.750.
The team finished with a 48.300 on the beam event after being docked points for a mistake; both Fincham and junior Kristen Harabedian fell during their beam routines.
“We were down, we could have let our spirits fall and get frustrated but instead we just fought back,” Fincham said. “We were just going to fight our way through and do the best that we could.”
State needed a stellar performance on the floor exercise to clinch the championship — and they answered, scoring an event team high 49.125.
“We tried to give the meet away on balance beam but the kids came out and rocked the floor,” head coach Mark Stevenson said. “They never gave up and did everything we asked them to do.”
Ouellette scored a 9.875, earning her the program’s first individual floor exercise title since 2010, when Brooke Barr and Taylor Seaman achieved the honor.
“We just got together as a group and decided that win or lose, there’s no harm in putting your best out there, so we might as well put our best out there on the floor,” Fincham said.
Ouellette finished tied for second, 39.150, and Ham claimed third, 39.125, in the all-around competition.
“I’m really proud of our kids,” Stevenson said. “Bottom line — whoever gets us at regionals is like putting another one of the top teams in there.”
The Wolfpack will return to action at the NCAA Regional Championships, Saturday, April 6. The event location has yet to be determined.
“I think we’re one of those hidden underdogs at regionals because we’re a really good team,” Stevenson said. “We’re as good as last year, if not better.”
