After a tough season-opening loss to Auburn, No. 21 NC State gymnastics came home with something to prove-and they delivered.
In front of an electric Reynolds Coliseum crowd, the Wolfpack put together a gritty, clean, and high-energy performance to edge out No. 14 Clemson in a nail-biter, 196.125 to 195.925.
This one came down to the final rotation, and the Pack knew it. Trailing by 0.425 heading into the last event, NC State took the floor while Clemson moved to the beam.
The Tigers had the edge on paper, but the home team had the momentum-and the crowd. What followed was a clutch floor rotation that flipped the script and sealed the win.
Let’s break it down.
Vault and Bars Set the Stage
NC State opened the meet on vault, and Clemson started on bars. After the first rotation, it was tight-just a tenth of a point separating the two teams.
Junior Maddie Hall came up big for the Pack with a 9.875, good for second place overall. Right behind her was Ashley Knight, also a junior, who posted a 9.850 to take third.
On bars, NC State continued to keep pace. Junior Elle Hadrick nailed her routine for a 9.875, tying Clemson’s Ella Cesario for the top spot.
Katie Harper, another junior, followed with a strong 9.850, matching Clemson’s Eve Jackson for third. Through two rotations, the Tigers held a slim 0.125 lead.
Beam and Floor: The Meet Turns
Clemson took the floor in the third rotation while NC State moved to the beam. That’s where the Tigers made a bit of a push, led by redshirt senior Brie Clark, who delivered a show-stopping 9.925-the highest individual score of the night.
But NC State didn’t blink. Though the beam scores were slightly lower, the Pack stayed within striking distance.
Then came the final rotation-and the fireworks.
The Floor Belongs to the Pack
With the meet on the line, NC State needed a big finish. And that’s exactly what they got.
Hadrick and sophomore Syniya Thomas both stepped up and delivered 9.900 routines, tying for second on the floor behind Clark. Thomas, who was just named ACC Specialist of the Week, showed exactly why she earned that honor.
The floor rotation was NC State’s best of the night, scoring a team-high 49.300. It was enough to overcome Clemson’s beam total and flip the final result in the Pack’s favor.
Final Scores and What’s Next
NC State’s event-by-event breakdown:
- Vault: 49.075
- Bars: 48.950
- Beam: 48.800
- Floor: 49.300
Clemson’s totals:
- Vault: 48.975
- Bars: 49.175
- Beam: 48.675
- Floor: 49.100
The final margin? Just 0.200 points. In a sport where tenths make all the difference, NC State’s consistency and poise under pressure proved to be the difference-maker.
Up next, the Wolfpack hits the road for a tough test against the Cal Golden Bears in Berkeley on Saturday, Jan. 24. If this bounce-back meet is any indication, the Pack is just getting started.