(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
In the second week of competition, the No. 14 ASU Gym Devils (3-1) hit the road for the first time this season, defeating No. 16 West Virginia (0-1) 196.475-195.875.
At the WVU Coliseum, the Gym Devils made vast improvements this week from their season opener, earning a 49.000+ score on every event The Gym Devils took the team win on uneven bars (49.125-48.900), balance beam (49.225-49.000) and floor exercise (49.125-48.850). This was the first time ASU hit the 49+ cumulative total on each apparatus since the team’s appearance at the North Central Regional at Iowa State University in 2007.
The Gym Devils started off strong on bars, earning a team season-high of 49.125. The Gym Devils began the rally with sophomore Ashley Szafranski, scoring an impressive 9.800. It was freshman star Cairo Leonard-Baker who really shined with high-flying releases and a stuck full-in dismount to score a career-high 9.925 and earn the individual event title. Junior transfer Anne Kuhm and senior Nichelle Christopherson also scored a pair of 9.825’s to end the rotation.
As for the Mountaineers, five scores of 9.775 or better pushed WVU to a 49.125 to win vault in the first rotation. Junior Kirah Koshinski anchored their lineup and finished first overall with a season-high 9.900. Senior Zaakira Muhammad tied for second place with a season-high 9.850 showing. Senior Robyn Bernard opened the meet with a season-high 9.825 to tie for fourth place overall.
Heading into the second rotation, the Gym Devils were tied with the Mountaineers, but ASU scored another season-high of 49.000 on vault to take the lead. The Gym Devils had an impressive vault rotation scoring or matching five career highs. Junior transfer Kaitlyn Szafranski led things off with a high-flying yurchenko full to earn a career-high 9.80. Kuhm continued with a clean yurchenko full scoring a career-high 9.775. Junior Morgan Wilson and sophomore Graycee Rushton tied career-highs with a 9.850 and 9.750, respectively. Wilson’s career-high 9.850 also earned her second overall on the event. Leonard-Baker also had an impressive 9.825 to round out the career-highs.
WVU finished with a season-high 48.900 on bars in the second rotation. Junior Jaquie Tun finished second overall on the apparatus with a season-high 9.85 while Muhammad scored 9.825 for a season-high and tied for third place. Freshman Sydney Marler and senior Jordan Gillette also scored a pair of 9.775s, a career-high for both gymnasts.
The Gym Devils continued to hold their lead into the third rotation where they earned yet another season-high 49.125 on floor. The career highs continued on floor with Kaitlyn Szafranski who earned a 9.800 on her routine that features a sky-high double tuck and double pike. Leonard-Baker and Kuhm continued the Gym Devils career-highs earning a 9.900 for Leonard-Baker and a 9.875 for Kuhm.
The Mountaineers hit a season-high 49.000 team beam total. Muhammad matched her career-high score of 9.875 and placed second overall. Koshinski opened the rotation with a 9.85 matching her career-high and placed fourth. Freshman McKenna Linnen also earned a career-high 9.750.
Continuing its lead into the final rotation, ASU showcased its many improvements on the beam. In the season opener, the Gym Devils had to count a fall after only hitting four out of six routines. Against West Virginia, ASU showed clean routines and multiple stuck dismounts for a season-high 49.225, its highest team event total of the day. Junior Justine Callis started the Gym Devils off with an exquisite beam routine to earn a career-high 9.800. Ashley Szafranski scored a career-high 9.900 on her unique routine to receive the individual event title. Junior Katelyn Lentz also earned a career-high 9.875 for a second-place finish on the event while Leonard-Baker and Christopherson added a pair of 9.825’s to end the historic night.
The Mountaineers closed the meet with a season-high 48.850 on floor. Linnen finished third overall with a career-best 9.85 while Muhammad scored a 9.80 and tied for fourth place. Sophomore Abby Kaufman tied for sixth place with a 9.775, a season-best.
It was a tight race at the top in the all-around where both Leonard-Baker and Kuhm battled it out to earn career-highs. Ultimately, Leonard-Baker captured first with a 39.425 while Kuhm improved with a 39.150 to take third place. Kuhm was edged out by Muhammad who earned four podium finishes, including a second place, 39.350, showing in the all-around.
The Gym Devils took down the Mountaineers 196.475-195.875. This was a historic win for the Sun Devils because it was their highest team total since March 2, 2007, and it also marks the 26th best team total in Gym Devil history. This win improved ASU’s record to 4-1 this season and moved the Gym Devils up to No.11 in the national rankings after week two of competition.
The Gym Devils hit the road again next week to face the No. 20 Stanford Cardinal in Palo Alto for their Pac-12 Conference opener. The meet will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, and it will be live streamed on the Stanford Live Stream.
