North Carolina gymnastics coach Derek Galvin put it simply.
“In baseball you can have eight great innings, and then one that just didn’t get it done,” he said. “That’s the way we were this season.”
Up and down the Tar Heels went, but nowhere was this example more evident than in the team's last two regular season meets.
Solid seniors and formidable freshmen led UNC to a victory on Senior Day against Pittsburgh on March 7, but injuries contributed to a defeat at Auburn six days later.
Freshman Morgan Lane felt the importance of performing well on Senior Day.
“We wanted to perform our best for the seniors,” she said. “It was heart-breaking because one of our seniors, (Haley Watts) had injured herself at the meet before, so we wanted to do our best for her.”
Watts suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the month, but continues to support and contribute to the team.
“(Watts) had a fantastic year up to that point, and she continues to have a strong impact on the team as a leader,” Coach Galvin said. “(She) has had a great career at Carolina.”
In UNC's final event, floor, dominating performances from freshman Morgan Lane and redshirt senior Kristin Aloi led the way. Both notched season-high scores and placed in the top three, to help UNC topple the Panthers.
“It was really good to be there with my team and have my family there for the special tributes that the coaches and the team gave us,” senior Janelle Sargent said. “It was just a really precious moment.”
Sargent took first place on the beam, notching a season-best score of 9.850.
These strong performances from the seniors coupled with exceptional scores from freshmen Morgan Lane and Kaitlynn Hedelund, were enough to win the meet for the Tar Heels.
At their last meet of the regular season on Friday, UNC faced an intimidating opponent in Auburn.
Auburn defeated North Carolina at Carmichael Arena in the first meet of the season in January, and their season ended in similar fashion.
Although Lane won first all-around and Sargent tied her season-high score from the previous meet, the Tar Heels fell to the Tigers 197.100- 194.025.
And although the regular season did not end in the most positive fashion for UNC, the team is hopeful for the upcoming EAGL championships this weekend in Towson, Maryland.
“We are a strong team, and I think we have a chance to win EAGLs.” Lane said. “We just need to go out there and do the gymnastics we know how to do; nothing more, nothing less.”
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