(Photo: Karli Matthias/WCSN)
It was a duel in the desert at Wells Fargo Arena as the No. 17 Arizona State Gym Devils (6-4, 3-3 Pac-12) took on the Arizona Wildcats (1-7, 1-5 Pac-12) for the final Pac-12 matchup of the regular season.
The Gym Devils were able to defend the Territorial Cup, 196.725-195.025. This meet also paid tribute to lone senior Nichelle Christopherson for her senior night, honoring her alongside her family and teammates at the conclusion of the competition.
Recording event scores of 49.125, 49.025, 49.175, 49.400 on vault, bars, beam, and floor, respectively, Arizona State surpassed the 49+ cumulative total in each event for the fourth time this season and posted season-highs on vault and floor.
“I think they did a phenomenal job today,” head coach Jay Santos said. “I saw some of those little details that we keep talking about. We stuck a couple more landings than we did last week, so if we continue to fine-tune those details, I think they’ll be in great shape going into Pac-12s.”
Four-time Pac-12 freshman/Newcomer of the Week Cairo Leonard-Baker and junior transfer Anne Kuhm paved the way for ASU going one and two in the all-around. Leonard-Baker won the all-around title with a 39.475 while also adding a pair of event titles on bars (9.875) and floor (9.950). The freshman phenom now has 11 individual titles for this season. Kuhm followed with a second-place finish in the all-around for a career-best 39.450.
“I tried really hard to keep everything the same going into this meet even though it is a little different,” Leonard-Baker said. “It definitely feels really good to know we’ll be heading into Pac-12s strong and confident, especially after a win against U of A.”
In the first rotation, the Gym Devils were led by Kuhm who earned a career-high 9.900 on her stuck yurchenko full to win the event. Leonard-Baker also matched her career-best with a 9.850. ASU finished the apparatus with a season-high 49.125.
On the other side of the arena, Arizona started its day off on bars where Christina Berg earned a 9.825. Three other gymnasts scored a 9.80, ending their rotation with a 49.000.
In the second rotation, ASU moved to the bars where they showcased multiple stuck landings to earn a team total of 49.025. Juniors Kaitlyn Szafranski and Justine Callis led things off, receiving a pair of career-high 9.775s. Leonard-Baker and Kuhm shined recording a 9.875 and 9.850, respectively.
The Wildcats trailed the Sun Devils by 0.120 going into the second rotation and put up a 48.875 on vault highlighted by Maddie Leydin’s 9.850.
At the halfway point, ASU led the Wildcats 98.150-97.875. They went six-for-six on beam with five gymnasts going 9.800 or higher to earn a team cumulative of 49.175. Callis was a standout in the event performing a beautiful beam routine notching a career-high 9.900 as well as Ashley Szafranksi who recorded an impressive 9.875 with her unique skills.
As for the Gym Cats, they scored a solid 48.975 on floor. ASU led Arizona by 0.470 heading into the final rotation.
The Gym Devils were fantastic on floor, scoring a season-high 49.400 as well as recording five individual career-highs of 9.825+. Leonard-Baker and Kuhm’s high energy and powerful tumbling led the way scoring with a 9.950 and 9.925, respectively. Kaitlyn Szafranski, sophomore Jessica Ginn, and junior Heather Udowitch also added three career-high 9.825s to cap off the rotation.
Kuhm attributed her increasing success to translating what she does at practice every day in the gym to the competition floor.
“I just try to what I do every day at practice, and it all came together for us, so I’m happy,” Kuhm said.
The Devils will be on the road for the rest of the season. They first head to Minneapolis to face the No. 19 Minnesota Gophers. The competition is slated to start at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 3 at Maturi Pavilion.
