The Wolverines started off with a strong vault rotation. Sachi Sugiyama and Joanna Sampson anchored with scores of 9.925 and 9.825 respectively.

Sampson talks about the confidence the team had coming off of vault. “It just really gets the momentum going. It gives us confidence to continue that pace, keep it up, and do what we know how to do and hit our routines.”

The team carried the momentum onto uneven bars, with two first place scores of 9.900 from Joanna Sampson and Brittnee Martinez. Balance beam, however, continued to give the Wolverines problems.

“I’ve just become very good at blocking things out, and just really staying in myself and staying focused,” Sampson said of her beam routine, which placed second with a score of 9.750.

Going into the last rotation, West Virginia was in the lead. Due to injuries, Michigan didn’t have Natalie Beilstein or Kristen Nagle who have both competed floor in the past.

“They’re still there with us cheering us on and motivating us and just helping us out in every way that they can,” Sampson said.

Michigan managed to come back on floor. The highlights of the last rotation were Joanna Sampson and Reema Zakharia’s performances of 9.825, which tied for first.

“We don’t plan on having to make a comeback on floor, but we’ve done our job so far, and we’ve been able to do it and stay strong,” Sampson said, after winning her first collegiate all-around title. “It’s just a matter of keeping myself together and doing the best I can in every routine, taking one thing at a time.” Joanna continued to say “Hopefully I’ll be able to keep it up.”