CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 24 Clemson Tigers finished with a season-high 49.250 on bars and redshirt junior Brie Clark earned a 9.95 on floor, but the No. 23 North Carolina Tar Heels tallied a 49.425 on floor to edge the Tigers, 196.575-195.800, in a Sunday afternoon ACC contest.
The Tigers move to 3-4 on the season, 2-2 in ACC competition. The Tar Heels are now 2-3 on the year, 1-2 in ACC action.
BARS
Starting on bars, no one in the Tigers’ lineup scored lower than a 9.8, leading to Clemson’s highest score of the season on the event. Lilly Lippeatt tallied a 9.85, followed by Takoda Berry with a 9.8. Eve Jackson earned a 9.825, followed by Lauren Rutherford with a 9.85 in her first competition of the season. Quinn Kuhl also earned a 9.85 and Hannah Clark rounded out the rotation with a 9.875 to give Clemson a 49.250 after the first rotation.
VAULT
Quinn Kuhl and Tara Walsh opened the second rotation with back-to-back 9.7 scores, followed by Madison Minner who stuck her landing to earn a season-high 9.85. Eve Jackson and Maggie Holman tallied back-to-back 9.725 scores, while Kate Bryant earned a 9.75 in her first competition of the season to round out the rotation, giving Clemson a 48.750 score on vault and a 98.000 overall score at the halfway point.
FLOOR
Lilly Lippeatt led off for the second time for the Tigers on floor with a 9.825, followed by Maggie Holman with a 9.825. Madison Minner earned a 9.800, followed by a 9.675 from Molly Arnold who stepped out of bounds on her first pass. Eve Jackson earned a 9.175 after Brie Clark nailed her floor routine, earning a career-high-tying 9.95 to give the Tigers a 49.075 on the floor.
BEAM
In the final rotation, Lippeatt led off for the third time, earning a 9.825, followed by another 9.825 from Clark. Danika Nielsen earned a 9.800 for the fourth meet in a row, before Sierra Church turned in a 9.775. Kielyn McCright and Quinn Kuhl rounded out the rotation with a 9.35 and 9.5, respectively, giving the Tigers a 48.725 on the event.
North Carolina’s 49.425 pushed them ahead and gave the Tar Heels the 196.575-195.800 victory.
Up next, the Tigers are home for three-straight meets, hosting NC State on Friday night, February 14, in then annual Pink Meet at 7:00 p.m.
