(Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN)
Arizona State gymnastics (3-2) was back in Desert Financial Arena for the “Beauty and the Beast” meet, hosting the UC Davis Aggies (2-4). Both the ASU wrestling and gymnastics shared the arena, competing simultaneously.
“I think it just adds a lot of energy,” Head coach Jay Santos said regarding the dual event. “There’s always something going on. Somebody’s making noise, whether it’s us or [wrestling]. I think there’s that little extra bonus from something going on. The crowd’s up, and there’s no real break. The girls really enjoyed it, and we think it’s a good atmosphere.”
Starting off the competition on vault, all five Gym Devils scored a 9.700 or above on the event. Junior Cario Leonard-Baker led the lineup, putting up a 7.775. ASU finished with a 48.650 total.
UC Davis took to the bars for the first rotation. The Aggies had a low scoring bars rotation, counting multiple falls, with a 46.275 total. Rachel Schuelke-Lombardi took the highest score for her team with a 9.675.
In the second rotation, ASU moved to bars. Leonard-Baker’s stellar 9.925 on the event was the highest score put up on an apparatus so far this season, and it won her the bar title. Freshman Juliette Boyer also shined on bars with a career-high 9.875. ASU’s 48.925 on bars was its best mark on the apparatus so far.
UC Davis’ Alyssa Ito carried her team on vault with a 9.725, but ASU kept a sizable lead in the competition by 3.75.
Advancing on to beam, the Gym Devils powered through the event, carrying on from last meet’s falls. On this event, freshman Hannah Scharf recovered strongly from last meet on beam, putting up a career-high 9.825. Freshman Isabel Redmond made her collegiate debut on beam with a 9.750. Graduate Morgan Wilson also had a career-high routine, scoring a 9.875 and winning the beam title. The 48.925 was ASU’s highest beam total this year.
“I felt really good,” fifth-year senior Morgan Wilson said. “I felt confident getting up there, so that helped a lot.”
UC Davis had a good run with its floor routines, highlighted by Gabby Landess’ 9.800 and Kelley Hebert’s 9.900. Herbert took home the floor title while the Aggies put up a 48.650 on the event. ASU remained in the lead after three rotations with a 146.500 over UC Davis’ 142.475.
ASU finished the meet on floor where senior Jess Ginn led the Gym Devils again, earning a 9.825. Four other gymnasts scored a 9.700+ for a 48.750 total.
In UC Davis last event, Hebert once again lead her team with a 9.850 on beam. The Aggies again had to count multiple falls on the event.
Boyer took home the all-around title with a career-high 39.125. ASU earned its first home win and its highest meet total this season with a 195.250, giving them a 8.025 point victory over UC Davis’ 187.225 total.
“Overall, it’s better, but we’re still giving away a little too much,” Santos said. “There are little things that we’ve got to keep cleaning up. We were definitely capable of doing more today that we held back a little bit, but it was an improvement. If we can get it moving a little bit, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
“We’re definitely happy that we improved from the past two weekends,” Wilson said. “We have a lot more to show, but hitting a 195.000 is great. I’m excited for us to get back in the gym and keep getting better.”
ASU’s next chance to improve will be next week when the Gym Devils have their first conference meet at Utah on Friday, January 24 at 7 p.m.. ASU will travel to Salt Lake City to face the No. 4 Red Rocks in Huntsman Center.
