Tar Heel Successfully Wrap Up 2003 Season

Saturday, March 22

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

Rutgers

March 22, 2003 | Women's Gymnastics

By: UNC Athletic Communications

March 22, 2003

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina defeated Rutgers for the second time this season (195.000-193.000) to improve the team's record to 22-4. Carolina is now 3-0 at home this season and 6-1 against East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) opponents. The team is on a 9-0 run in meets at home.

Carolina earned its highest team score, a 49.175, on vault, an event in which the gymnasts swept the top six spots. Freshman Courtney Bumpers tied her career-high vault score of 9.950. Sophomore Olivia Trusty fell in behind her for second place with a score of 9.850, narrowly passing sophomore teammate Amy Williams, who finished with a 9.825. Junior Anna Wilson and freshman Mikel Hester both ended up in fourth place with a 9.775. Sophomore Elisabeth Alsop rounded out the top six, scoring a 9.700.

Trusty led the Tar Heels on the uneven bars, taking first place with a score of 9.850. Senior Fritzie Cathcart, who earned a 9.800, tied for third place with Wilson and Bumpers in her final career home meet.

The team struggled on the balance beam where three of the six Carolina competitors had falls. The gymnasts managed to pull through, however, with high scores from the remaining three. Junior Maddy Curley won the event with a personal best of 9.875. Alsop followed as runner-up with a 9.850, also a personal best. Bumpers, still recovering from an ankle injury, earned fourth place with a 9.800.

Once again, the Tar Heels had a dominant finish on the floor exercise. Trusty won her second event of the meet, scoring a 9.900 on floor. Curley took second with a 9.850. Hester set a new personal best of 9.825 to tie for third, and Wilson scored a 9.750 to tie for fifth.

Wilson, the only all-around competitor for the Tar Heels, won the title with a total of 38.675.

"Today's output was absolutely fantastic," said senior Natalie Halbach, considering the rigorous string of recent meets and academic schedules many of the gymnasts on the team faced this past week. "The great thing is we still have a lot to improve on."

This concludes the 2003 regular season for the Tar Heels. Next, they will take on every EAGL opponent at the eighth annual EAGL Championship Meet on Sat., March 29, at the University of New Hampshire. The meet will be held at 6 p.m.

Team Scores
1. North Carolina 195.000
2. Rutgers 193.000

Carolina's Top Individuals
Vault
1. Courtney Bumpers 9.950*
2. Olivia Trusty 9.850
3. Amy Williams 9.825
4t. Anna Wilson 9.775
4t. Mikel Hester 9.775
6. Elisabeth Alsop 9.700