Friday marked the first women’s gymnastics meet of the ACC’s inaugural season between North Carolina (2-5, 0-1 ACC) and N.C. State (1-4, 1-0 ACC). UNC reached its highest final score of the season, but lost to N.C. State, 196.225-195.325.
The Tar Heels hit their highest scores of the season in its last two rotations, beam and floor exercise, but failed to do so in its first two rotations, including a season low on bars. That prompted head coach Danna Durante to say she would like to become a four-event team.
“I think we've got some good senior leaders on the team working to just continue to help all of our team be more comfortable in a competitive mindset,” Durante said.
UNC began with the vault exercise. Standout performances came from junior Julia Knower and sophomore Kaya Forbes, who both tied for a team-high 9.825 mark. Knower matched her season high as UNC posted a 48.900 mark on the vault.
Forbes and Knower’s efforts were not enough, however. Led by a dual-high score of 9.875 by Chloe Negrete, N.C. State edged UNC with a vault mark of 48.975.
North Carolina fell further behind on bars, as their mark of 48.525 was second to the Wolfpack’s 48.950. Junior Lali Dekanoidze performed the Tar Heels’ final routine of the rotation, but missed her landing, appearing to injure her foot in the process.
Dekanoidze owns the program record in bars at 9.975, which she has set three times. Her error on Friday sunk her mark to 9.300. UNC could not make up the gap without a high score from Dekanoidze, though sophomore Gwen Fink’s mark of 9.825 was the second-highest of the dual.
Fink impressed again on the beam, with a routine including a double no-hands backflip. Her mark of 9.850 was a season best by any Tar Heel.
“When [Fink] comes off of the event, whether it’s in warm up or after, she'll look at us, where [she] used to be just not sure what to say, [now] she’ll be like, ‘Hey, I felt like I got that, but I can do this better,’” Durante said. “Yes. And she's almost always spot on, which is exciting.”
