March 19, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

THIS WEEK IN THE PAC-10:
Only one week of competition remains before all seven Conference programs face off in the Pac-10 Championships, scheduled for March 29 at the University of Washington. Every team is attacking the scoreboard: two-thirds of last week's Conference competitors recorded season-high team scores. Dozens of gymnasts performed their ways to career-high and season-best tallies. Arizona remains the lone team to host a regular season competition at home, meaning that the majority of the Pac-10's senior gymnasts have bid their home crowds farewell. Last week's results suggest that the balance beam is the Conference's strongest specialty, as three programs achieved their best team beam scores of the season. Though OREGON STATE is, indeed, ranked a remarkable sixth in the nation on the apparatus, UCLA and STANFORD have proven the Pac-10's depth. The Bruins are second-best in the country on bars and sixth on vault; the Cardinal rank seventh on both.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE, MAR. 18 - 24:
*All times are Pacific

Friday, March 21
ARIZONA STATE at Missouri, 4:30 p.m.
WASHINGTON at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m.
ARIZONA vs. Brigham Young, Cal State Fullerton, 7:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA at Boise State, 6 p.m.

Sunday, March 23
STANFORD at UC Davis, 6 p.m.

PAC-10 NOTES:
ARIZONA - The Wildcats were downed at No. 13 Denver, 196.250 - 193.275, but had a top-three finish on every event. Karin Wurm led the GymCats on vault with a second-place 9.825. She and Alexis Greene scored 9.850s on bars, also good for second. Colleen Fisher hit the 9.8 threshold and nabbed third place on beam. On floor, Danielle Hicks's 9.85 stood out for the Cats, who swept third-sixth place. Wurm was the top all-around Gymcat with a tally of 39. 250. Next opponent: BYU and Cal State Fullerton on Fri., Mar. 21.

ARIZONA STATE - The Gym Devils ended their home schedule on a high note as the team recorded a season-high score, 196.175, to beat Ohio State. The Sun Devils swept the all-around with career-best scores from each of the podium finishers: Francesca Mercurio's 39.25 took first, Tiana Jean was on her heels with a 39.225, and Beaté Jones placed third with a 39.075. All told, the Sun Devils recorded 14 career-best performances. The team also recorded a season-high beam score, 49.225. Next opponent: Missouri on Fri., Mar. 21.

CALIFORNIA - Behind handfuls of individual high marks, the Bears notched a season-high 194.100 at a Senior Day quad meet. The Bears also set a season-best 48.775 on floor, led by personal-best scores by Sophia Hocini (9.900, first) and Jessica Kelley (9.875, third). Cal tallied 49.075 on bars after four performers tallied season-high scores: Bridgette Glass (9.875, first), Kelley (9.850, second), Nicki Wells (9.775), and Nassim Mirreghabie (9.725). The Bears were solid on beam, too. Next opponent: Boise State on Fri., Mar. 21.

OREGON STATE - The Beavers tallied a season-best 197.2 and finished the regular season undefeated at home. A season-high beam score and the team's second-highest bars and floor scores of 2008 secured the victory. The Beavers briefly flirted with the school beam record of 49.6, as all six competitors tied or set career-bests on the event. On beam, Jen Kesler set a career-topping 9.925 and Jami Lanz hit her third 9.95 of the season. Mandi Rodriguez lit up floor with a 9.95. Next opponent: Pac-10 Championships on Sat., Mar. 29.

STANFORD - The Cardinal took a break from action last week. Next opponent: UC Davis on Sun., Mar. 23.

UCLA - Five Bruins earned career-high marks and three others recorded season highs as UCLA scored a season-best 196.925. It was not enough to overthrow No. 1 Georgia, though. The Bruins did not count a single fall and went 6-for-6 on beam, on which they also recorded a season-topping 49.35. Anna Li and Tasha Schwikert tied for first on bars with 9.9s. Ashley Jenkins posted her best mark ever on floor to fall just shy of Jordan Schwikert's top Bruin mark of 9.925. Next opponent: Pac-10 Championships on Sat., Mar. 29.

WASHINGTON - In their last home meet of the season, the Huskies captured first place on every event against Seattle Pacific: Kristen Linton led the all- around (38.950), Haley Bogart was tops on vault (9.85), Kelly Gilbert bested the beam (9.775), and Samantha Walior closed out the meet with a career-high 9.9 on floor. On bars, Raimey Iselin, Nikki Waiss, and Linton tied for first (9.875). Washington's 49.025 on the apparatus is the team's highest in exactly three years. Next opponent: Seattle Pacific on Fri., Mar. 21.