Oregon State
Utah
Beavers Finish Fifth at Pac-12 Championships
March 23, 2014 | Women's Gymnastics
BERKELEY, Calif. – Oregon State finished fourth in the afternoon session and fifth overall at Saturday's Pac-12 Championships with a score of 196.275. Junior Chelsea Tang paced the Beavers with a 39.325 in the all-around to finish fourth.
“I like the fight and energy the team showed today,” head coach Tanya Chaplin said. “The scoring was tight, but the athletes stayed focused on what they could control and built off of each performance. Our focus now turns to preparing for the NCAA Regional Championship which will be announced this Monday.”
Oregon State (14-7) surpassed the 49-point mark on three events, it wasn't enough in Saturday afternoon's first session of the Pac-12 Championships.
The Beavers, seeded fourth in the meet, started on the floor exercise and “hit” all six routines. Tang led the Beavers with a score of 9.85, while Cerise Witherby and Kailie Ponto each added scores of 9.825. OSU settled into third place with an opening rotation score of 49.050.
Trailing Utah (49.400) and Stanford (49.350) heading to the second rotation, the Beavers needed some big vaults to stay close. OSU hit all six vaults but didn't have enough stuck landings to notch big scores. Erika Aufiero and Taylor Keeker each posted scores of 9.825 and Megan Jimenez added a 9.775 leading to a team score of 48.875.
Oregon State sat in fourth place at the halfway point at 97.925, while Utah led at 99.000. Stanford and UCLA were locked in a battle for second place 98.325-98.300 after two rotations. OSU moved to the uneven bars, one its highest ranking events on the season, where the Beavers posted their best rotation score of the meet with a 49.200. Tang matched her career-high scoring 9.90 and Brittany Harris scored 9.85. Kaytianna McMillan and Hannah Casey each tallied scores of 9.825 to aid the cause.
As the teams headed to into the final rotation, OSU had closed the gap on third-place UCLA 147.325-147.125 with Utah extending their lead to 148.275. The Beavers finished the meet on the balance beam, where they are ranked No. 7 in the nation, and “hit” six more solid routines to score 49.150. Madeline Gardiner was the Beavers' high scorer with a 9.875. McMillan added a 9.85 and Tang scored 9.825.
The Beavers have a week off before NCAA Regional Championships Saturday, Apr. 5. The NCAA Regional Selection Show will air at NCAA.com Monday at 12 p.m. PT determining which teams will make their way to each of the six regionals. Regionals will be hosted by Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Minnesota, Penn State and Washington.
First Session Results
Team Scores: No. 5 Utah 197.925; No. 10 Stanford 197.175; No. 7 UCLA 196.525; No. 11 Oregon State 196.275.
All-Around: 1. Tory Wilson (UTAH) 39.450; 2. Samantha Peszek (UCLA) 39.425; 3. Chelsea Tang (OSU) 39.325. OSU Scores: Madeline Gardiner 39.125; Brittany Harris 39.025.
Vault (48.875): 1. Georgia Dabritz (UTAH) 9.950; T2. Tory Wilson (UTAH), Nicolette McNair (STAN) 9.925. OSU Scores: Taylor Keeker 9.825; Erika Aufiero 9.825; Megan Jimenez 9.775; Chelsea Tang 9.750; Madeline Gardiner 9.700; Brittany Harris 9.600.
Uneven Bars (49.200): 1. Georgia Dabritz (UTAH) 10.0; 2. Nicolette McNair (STAN) 9.950; T3. Kristina Vaculik (STAN), Nansy Damianova (UTAH), Samantha Shapiro (STAN) 9.925. OSU Scores: Chelsea Tang 9.900; Brittany Harris 9.850; Kaytianna McMillan 9.825; Hannah Casey 9.825; Madeline Gardiner 9.800; Erika Aufiero 9.800.
Balance Beam (49.150): 1. Samantha Peszek (UCLA) 9.925; T2. Mary Beth Lofgren (UTAH), Danusia Francis (UCLA), Corrie Lothrop (UTAH) 9.900. OSU Scores: Madeline Gardiner 9.875; Kaytianna McMillan 9.825; Chelsea Tang 9.825; Cerise Witherby 9.800; Brittany Harris 9.800; Katelyn Ohlrich 9.675.
Floor Exercise (49.050): T1. Georgia Dabritz (UTAH), Nansy Damianova (UTAH) 9.950; T3. Becky Tutka (UTAH), Lia Del Priore (UTAH) 9.925. OSU Scores: Chelsea Tang 9.850; Cerise Witherby 9.825; Kailie Ponto 9.825; Nicole Turner 9.775; Brittany Harris 9.775; Madeline Gardiner 9.750.
Players Mentioned
