Feb. 20, 2010
Raleigh, N.C. -
Sweetheart Invitational Results 
The University of North Carolina gymnastics team fell to EAGL rival No. 25 NC State and No. 10 Nebraska at the Sweetheart Invitational. The Tar Heels scored a 193.875 team total, but fell short of the Nebraska team, which scored 195.000. NC State won the Sweetheart Invitational with a score of 195.575. Carolina ousted Nebraska and NC State on balance beam, an event the team had struggled with in the past weeks.
"Going into this week our focus was on bringing our beam routines up to the level of the other events and we did that. We surpassed them," said head coach Derek Galvin.
Christine Nguyen won her fourth all-around title of the season with a score of 39.375. Nguyen tied her personal bests on balance beam with a 9.925 and on uneven bars with a 9.850.
Carolina focused on competing with confidence on balance beam this week, and it paid off as the Tar Heels scored a 48.900 team total. Nguyen won the event, tying her personal-best 9.925 that she set in Raleigh, N.C. in 2008. Morgan Evans placed fourth in her first balance beam performance of 2010. Evans recorded a 9.825. Kara Wright took fifth place with a score of 9.800 and Tina Jacob finished in a three-way tie for eighth place with a 9.700. Freshman Michelle Ikoma and junior Krista Jasper scored 9.650 and tied for 13th place.
"Balance beam was the high point of the meet for us," Galvin said. "Last week it was our worst event and this week it was our best. We went six for six with no falls on beam. Kara has her strongest beam routine of the season and Jacob and Nguyen did well too."
The Tar Heels began the meet on floor exercise and scored a 48.250 total. Taylor Brown took seventh on the event with a 9.775 and Nguyen placed 12th with a 9.700. Junior Karli Jones finished right behind Nguyen in 13th place after posting a 9.675. Jasper took 14th with a 9.650 and Wright finished in a tie for 17th with a 9.125. As a team Carolina scored a 48.250 on floor exercise and Galvin was impressed by both Brown and Jones' performance on floor.
"Michelle led off for the team and set the tone for a confident meet," Galvin said of Ikoma's performance on floor exercise.
Nguyen performed a one and a half twist on vault and finished second after scoring a 9.900. Jones placed 12th, scoring a 9.750. Brown and Wright tied for 15th place with 9.650. Ikoma posted a 9.600 for 17th place and Evans finished in 18th place with a 9.575. As a team the Tar Heels scored a 48.600 on the event.
As a team the Tar Heels scored a 48.125 on uneven bars. Nguyen led UNC with a 9.850 and placed third. Nguyen tied her personal best on uneven bars, which she set in Raleigh, N.C. in 2009. Freshman Elizabeth Durkac and Wright finished in a four-way tie for sixth after scoring 9.800. Brown posted a 9.625 to finish in 14th place and Jasper placed 17th with a 9.050.
Nguyen won the all-around competition by narrowly edging NC State's Jess Panza. Wright finished sixth in all-around competition with a 38.400. Competing in the all-around for the first time in her collegiate career, Ikoma finished seventh with 37.700.
"Overall I was pleased with the team's performance on balance beam," Galvin said. "Taylor Brown competed on three events and provided a solid performance on all three events. Jasper competed on three events for the first time since the GW Invitational and it was great to have her back. Christine Nguyen did really well."
The Tar Heels return to action next Sunday when they travel to Palo Alto, Calif. to face No. 8 Stanford at 2 p.m.
Team Scores
NC State- 195.575
Nebraska- 195.000
The University of North Carolina- 193.875
Vault- 48.600
2. Christine Nguyen- 9.900
12. Karli Jones- 9.750
15. Taylor Brown- 9.675
15. Kara Wright- 9.675
17. Michelle Ikoma- 9.600
18. Morgan Evans - 9.575
Uneven Bars- 48.125
3. Christine Nguyen- 9.850
6. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.800
6. Kara Wright- 9.800
14. Taylor Brown- 9.625
17. Krista Jasper- 9.050
18. Michelle Ikoma- 9.000
Balance Beam- 48.900
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.925
4. Morgan Evans- 9.825
5. Kara Wright- 9.800
8. Tina Jacob- 9.700
13. Michelle Ikoma- 9.650
13. Krista Jasper- 9.650
Floor Exercise- 48.250
7. Taylor Brown- 9.775
12. Christine Nguyen- 9.700
13. Karli Jones- 9.675
14. Krista Jasper- 9.650
16. Michelle Ikoma- 9.450
17. Kara Wright- 9.125
