Dekanoidze Wins Bars Against Top-Ranked Oklahoma In Metroplex Challenge

Sunday, February 23

Fort Worth, Texas

3:15 p.m. ET (2:15 p.m. CT)

North Carolina

196.200

198.050

Oklahoma

Photo by: Mia Jones

Dekanoidze Wins Bars Against Top-Ranked Oklahoma In Metroplex Challenge

February 23, 2025 | Women's Gymnastics

Results

FORT WORTH, Texas – Lali Dekanoidze was the outright winner on the uneven bars in No. 24 North Carolina gymnastics' meet against No. 1 Oklahoma in the Metroplex Challenge on Sunday afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas.

Competing inside the Fort Worth Convention Center, the top-ranked Sooners won the meet by a margin of 198.05-196.2. UNC's 196.2 was its second highest score of the year and best on the road.

Dekanoidze won bars for the 21st time in her career with a 9.95, which was also her 21st bars routine of 9.9 or higher. The senior finished on top of the field which included OU's Audrey Davis, who ranks first in the nation with an average bars score of 9.945.

All-Around
Julia Knower competed in the all-around for the 45th time in her career. The senior earned a 39.225 – her second highest of the year – after scores of 9.775 on vault, 9.8 on bars, 9.825 on beam and 9.825 on floor. Her beam score of 9.825 matched her season's best for the third time.

Rotation One – Bars (49.225)
Starting the meet on bars, Knower led off the rotation with a strong 9.8. Three consecutive scores of 9.825 from Claire Stippich, Gwen Fink and Isabelle Schaefer came from the respective third, fourth and fifth spots. Dekanoidze anchored with a 9.95, just .025 off her own program record done four times, including once earlier this year. Dekanoidze was the outright winner on the event en route to picking up her 21st career win on her signature apparatus.

1. Julia Knower – 9.8
2. Neve King – 9.775
3. Claire Stippich – 9.825
4. Gwen Fink – 9.825
5. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.825
6. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.95
Exh. Bella Miller – 9.625
Exh. Kaya Forbes – 9.625

The Tar Heels totaled 49.225 on this rotation, its second-best road bars score of the year and fifth performance of 49.0+. The Sooners finished with a 49.425.

Rotation Two – Vault (49.15)
Making their first appearance of the season was Lone Star State native Paige Prejean who scored a 9.8 in the second slot. Neve King and Knower both notched marks of 9.775 going first and third, respectively. Dekanoidze went fourth and posted a season-high 9.875, erasing her 9.825 done twice prior. JoJo Valahovic added a 9.825 in the fifth slot and Forbes anchored with a 9.875. Dekanoidze and Forbes were part of a four-way tie for third place.

1. Neve King – 9.775
2. Paige Prejean – 9.8
3. Julia Knower – 9.775
4. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.875
5. JoJo Valahovic – 9.825
6. Kaya Forbes – 9.875
Exh. Elly King – 9.725
Exh. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.75

UNC finished this rotation with a 49.15, marking its second consecutive vault score of 49.0+ and its second-best vault score on the road. OU had a cumulative score of 49.4.

Rotation Three – Floor (48.975)
UNC's floor rotation began with back-to-back 9.75s from leadoff Jessica Naranjo and Stippich, who went second. Going third was Valahovic, the three-time defending ACC Newcomer of the Week, who was the first of three straight routines that earned a 9.825. Forbes and Knower also recorded that mark in the respective fourth and fifth spots.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.75
2. Claire Stippich – 9.75
3. JoJo Valahovic – 9.825
4. Kaya Forbes – 9.825
5. Julia Knower – 9.825
6. Bella Miller – 9.65
Exh. Elly King – 9.375

Carolina produced a team score of 48.975 during its third rotation. That matches its second highest floor score done on the road during the 2025 campaign so far. Oklahoma had a 49.575.

Rotation Four – Beam (48.85)
Valahovic's routine of 9.65 from the second position was the first score that counted towards UNC's beam rotation. N. King followed that with a 9.775 in lineup spot No. 3. Knower matched her season-high 9.825 for the third time this season. Fink had a team-high 9.875 in the fifth position and Regan McBride anchored with a 9.725.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.625
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.65
3. Neve King – 9.775
4. Julia Knower – 9.825
5. Gwen Fink – 9.875
6. Regan McBride – 9.725
Exh. Claire Stippich – 9.775

The Tar Heels capped off the meet by registering a team score of 48.85 on beam. The Sooners totaled 49.65 on this event.

Up Next
The 24th-ranked Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill for their penultimate home meet on Friday, Feb. 28, inside Carmichael Arena. Carolina will host Penn, Temple and Yale for the UNC Quad Meet beginning at 6:45 p.m. ET on ACCNX. Tickets are available for purchase here.

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