Clemson Defeats North Carolina for First Road Win
Chapel Hill, N.C. - The No. 24 Clemson Gymnastics program continued its inaugural season with its third-consecutive win during the 2024 season. The Tigers topped the North Carolina Tar Heels, 196.550-194.250, to move to 3-0 (2-0 ACC) on the season and put up its first road score towards the National Qualifying Score (NQS).
Bars
Opening the meet on bars, the Tigers posted a 49.150 on the first apparatus. Bars-specialist Kaitlin DeGuzman led the Tigers with a season-high-tying 9.875, while Rebecca Wells opened the meet with a season-high 9.850. Lauren Rutherford and Lilly Lippeatt each posted a 9.825 and Eve Jackson recorded a 9.775. Clemson led North Carolina, 49.150-48.750 after the first rotation.
Vault
Rotating to vault, the Tigers saw Rutherford stick her blind landing and tie a career-high with a 9.925 to win the event for the second-consecutive week. Molly Arnold and Madison Minner each recorded a 9.775, while Trinity Brown scored a 9.750 in the anchor spot. Wells and Jackson each turned in a 9.725 to round out the Tigers’ second rotation.
The Tigers closed the event with a 48.950, their second-highest vault score of the season, and led North Carolina, 98.100-96.425, at the halfway point.
Floor
Clark wowed the judges again, scoring her second-consecutive 9.925 to tie a season high. On the season, Clark hasn’t scored below a 9.900 to lead the Tigers on the event and has now captured three-straight floor titles. Arnold tied her season-high with a 9.875, followed closely by Rutherford with a 9.850. Freshman Maggie Holman competed in the leadoff spot for the Tigers and tied a season-high with a 9.825, while Wells recorded a 9.775 to bring Clemson’s event score to 49.250.
Heading into the final rotation of the night, the Tigers held a 147.350-145.025 lead over the Tar Heels.
Beam
Kielyn McCright and Clark shared the event title by scoring a 9.900 each on the event. This was McCright’s second-straight 9.900 and tied a career-high on the apparatus for Clark. Wells also stuck her dismount in the leadoff spot in the Tigers’ final rotation, tying a season-high with a 9.875 to bring her all-around total to 39.225, a season-high. Quinn Kuhl finished her routine with a stick and a season-high 9.800. Jackson finished the evening with a 37.725 after tallying a 9.725 on the beam.
The Tigers earned a 49.200 on beam, their highest beam score of the season, to defeat North Carolina, 196.550-194.250, for Clemson’s first road win in program history.
The Tigers return to Littlejohn Coliseum on Friday, February 2, hosting NC State for a 7:00 p.m. meet to be shown on ACC Network. Prior to Friday’s meet, fans can celebrate National Girls and Women in Sport Day with a pre-meet event with other women’s teams from Clemson.