Natalie Warner
Junior Drew Grantham from Durham, NC flips through the air while on the balance beam. The Wolf Pack won against William and Mary and Western Michigan with a final score of 195.350 on Friday, Feb. 22.
The Wolfpack gymnastics team defeated William & Mary 195.350-190.800 and Western Michigan 195.350-193.675 on Friday night inside Reynolds Coliseum.
The Wolfpack (7-2, 4-0 EAGL) finished vault with a 48.800, just 0.200 shy of tying its top score of the season of 49.000 that was received against Pitt. The Wolfpack may not have broken any records in its tri-meet but the Pack still performed at its high standard. Following the vault, the Pack scored 48.875 on the bars, 48.825 on beam and finished on the floor with a score of 48.850.
“One thing we can work on is the little bit of detail,” sophomore Lauren Kent said. “We have our skill and our energy is there. We just have to keep on and giving it our all every time we go out on the floor. Learning from each meet and growing from each experience as a team. I think it’s all going to keep on going forward and coming together as we continue the season.”
The Pack dominated the vault, earning the top-four places. Junior Drew Grantham finished first with 9.825. Following on the podium was senior Paris Phillips who scored a 9.775. Tying for third place, seniors Alexa Phillips and Caitlyn Fillard each scored 9.750.
Sophomore Victoria Prati and Kent tied their career-high scores of 9.700 and 9.575, respectively.
The Wolfpack stayed strong throughout bars as Kent finished first with a score of 9.825. Junior Melissa Brooker tied with Broncos sophomore Alexis Oliver, 9.800.
In fifth place, Grantham, Fillard and freshman Meredith Robinson all tied, scoring 9.750.
William & Mary took first place on the beams with junior Evan Pakshong scoring 9.825. Following Pakshong, the Wolfpack’s sophomore Nicole Webb and Fillard along with the Broncos junior Amelia Mohler tied for second place, scoring 9.800.
Additionally, Webb tied her personal record in beam.
Kent and Grantham tied for fifth in beam with a score of 9.750.
On the floor, not only did Webb tie her career high of 9.850 but she placed first in the event. Paris Phillips placed second with her own score of 9.825.
Kent made her debut on the floor and finished with a 9.700, tying her for ninth place.
For all-around results, the Pack had the most representation as Fillard came in first with 39.025. Western Michigan took second (38.900) and third (38.875). The Pack’s Kent made her first all-around debut.
“I went into this meet knowing that I was going to warm up and have the competition mindset, that I would be ready for my team,” Kent said. “I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to be doing all around and I’m just very grateful that I had the opportunity tonight to do that. It was really exciting, each event built off of each other and each event had its own exciting moment, I’m truly blessed and very thankful.”
Kent finished fourth with a score of 38.850. Grantham would finish sixth with a score of 38.425.
“On floor, we put Lauren in the lineup and she went in again and she replied first time being out [on the floor] and really did great,” head coach Kim Landrus said. “The whole floor team really ended the meet super strong.”
The Wolfpack will travel to Kent, Ohio to compete against Kent State on Sunday at 1 p.m.