UNC gymnastics freshman star Lali Dekanoidze won another all-around title Saturday and set a new career-best score with a 39.550. The Tar Heels would need every last one of those points in a close dual win over Temple in Carmichael Arena.

For Dekanoidze, it was the third all-around title of her young collegiate career. She took individual titles on vault (shared with teammates Julia Knower and Cory Shinohara) and on bars, where she set another career-best with a 9.95. Knower took the title on beam, while Elizabeth Culton won a share of the floor title. Knower also set a career-best on bars with a 9.825.

Carolina recorded a season-best 49.125 score on vault, then matched that on beam. The Tar Heels are the top-ranked team in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League on beam. They’ve scored 49 or above on the event in four straight meets. A 48.750 score on floor exercise in the final rotation clinched the close victory over the Owls.

UNC is now 8-5 on the season. The meet with Temple Saturday was the first of five consecutive dual meets for the team. They’ll head to Raleigh next Saturday for a dual with NC State. The Tar Heels and Wolfpack already competed together in a quad meet in January, with NC State taking second and Carolina taking third.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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