Gymnastics Defeats Panthers in ACC Opener
CLEMSON, S.C. - The No. 19 Clemson Gymnastics team continued its impressive inaugural season in front of 8,631 fans after scoring season highs on both vault and floor to defeat Pitt in its first ACC meet.
The Tigers posted a 196.200 over the Panthers’ 194.775 to move to 2-0 on the season. Rebecca Wells claimed the title for the second-consecutive meet in the all-around with a score of 39.125, while Trinity Brown (vault - 9.900), Eve Jackson (tie on bars - 9.825), Kielyn McCright (beam - 9.900) and Brie Clark (floor - 9.925) each won their respective events.
Vault
Starting the meet on vault, the Tigers posted a season-high 49.150 on the first apparatus. Jackson, Molly Arnold and Madison Minner scored 9.800, while junior Lauren Rutherford finished with a 9.850. Brown anchored with a career-high 9.900 to take the title and claim Clemson’s first-ever 9.900 on the event. Clemson led Pitt after the first rotation, 49.150 to 48.625.
Bars
Rotating to bars, the Tigers found their best performance came from Jackson. The redshirt junior tied her season best with a score of 9.825 to tie for the event win. Redshirt freshman Lilly Lippeatt and graduate Kaitlin DeGuzman added 9.800s on their first apparatus of the day. Wells and Rutherford rounded out the bars scores with 9.750 each.
The Tigers closed the second rotation with a 48.825 on bars and had the lead over the Panthers at the halfway point, 97.975-97.375
Beam
Redshirt sophomore, McCright, narrowly missed setting a new career-high after anchoring Clemson on the beam with a 9.900 after she stuck her dismount. Wells continued to shine on the event with a 9.850 that was matched by a 9.850 from Lippeatt. Jackson and Quinn Kuhl added 9.675 and 9.475, respectively, to bring the team total on the event to 48.750.
Heading into the final rotation, Clemson maintained a 146.825-146.475 advantage over Pitt.
Floor
Clemson came back strong to conclude the meet with a season-high 49.375 performance on floor. The rotation was highlighted by Clark’s 9.925, the first on any event for the Tigers. Every individual in the lineup tied a season-high, including Rutherford who joined Clark with a 9.900. Both Lippeatt and Arnold followed with a 9.875. Brown and Wells rounded out Clemson’s lineup with 9.800s.
The Tigers captured their second-consecutive win, first in the ACC, with a final score of 196.200-194.775 against the Pitt Panthers.
Clemson hits the road for its first away meet as a program traveling to Chapel Hill for another ACC meet. The Tigers take on the Tar Heels on Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. on ACCNX.