March 29, 2003

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -

Senior Lynn Schwaebe was UC Davis' lone all-conference honoree, sharing sixth place on vault with a 9.700 score as the Aggies placed fifth at the six-team Mountain Pacific Sports Federation women's gymnastics championships at the Hornet's Nest Saturday. UC Davis compiled a team total of 189.650 for the meet.

Host Sacramento State won its second MPSF title in as many years with a 194.925, as Nirvana Zaher's 9.725 beam performance pushed the Hornets past second-place San Jose State, which scored 194.500. Seattle Pacific finished third at 193.000, upsetting Air Force, which posted a 192.050 total. Alaska Anchorage placed sixth in the meet at 187.300.

Sophomore Tiffany Chan had the Aggies' highest score in any event, turning in a 9.900 on floor exercise in the championship's opening rotation. That mark capped a 48.925 team score in that event, then UC Davis added a 47.925 on vault to hold a 96.850 total at the midway point. Schwaebe recorded a 9.800 on floor while Vanessa Baume went for 9.775. Nicole Doherty and Michelle Naito each scored 9.725. Mei-Ling Clark opened the meet with a career-high 9.625.

The Aggies managed just a 46.550 on bars in the fourth of the six-rotation meet. Doherty managed the highest bars score for UC Davis with a 9.475 in the fourth slot.

The Aggie beam squad suffered five falls in the first three routines, but recovered with a 9.450 by freshman Arianne Furman, a 9.650 by Doherty and a 9.700 by Michelle Naito. However, the early breaks held UC Davis to a season-low 46.250 on beam.

San Jose State's Shirla Choy and Danielle Albright took the top two places in the individual all-around with scores of 39.400 and 39.375, respectively. The Hornets' Nirvana Zaher placed third with a career-high 39.150.

Zaher and Albright shared the vault title at 9.775, edging Choy and CSUS senior Jenny Diamond's 9.750 performances. Binta Coleman made her first uneven bars appearance in five weeks, scoring a career-high 9.900 to tie Choy for first place on that apparatus. Amberly Klein of SJSU was the outright winner on balance beam with a 9.875 effort and Albright captured sole possession of first place on floor with a 9.975.

The MPSF meet is the last competition for UC Davis until the USAG Collegiate National Championships at Texas Woman's University from April 17-19.

2003 MPSF WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Cal St. Sacramento · March 29, 2003

TEAM SCORES - 1. Sacramento State 194.925; 2. San Jose State, 194.500; 3. Seattle Pacific, 193.000; 4. U.S. Air Force Academy, 192.050; 5. UC Davis, 189.650; 6. Alaska Anchorage, 187.300.

ALL-MPSF FINISHERS (TOP 6):

VAULT - 1 (tie). Nirvana Zaher, CSUS; Danielle Albright, SJSU, 9.775; 3 (tie). Jenny Diamond, CSUS; Shirla Choy, SJSU, 9.750; 5. Jennifer Christman, SPU, 9.725; 6 (tie). Jessica Hoffman, CSUS; Trista Condren, CSUS; Laura Frank, USAF; Lynn Schwaebe, UC Davis, 9.700.

UNEVEN BARS - 1 (tie). Binta Coleman, CSUS; Shirla Choy, SJSU, 9.900; 3 (tie). Laura Frank, USAF; Jessa Liegl, USAF, 9.825; 5 (tie) Jessica Hoffman, CSUS; Danielle Albright, SJSU, 9.800.

BALANCE BEAM - 1. Amberly Klein, SJSU, 9.875; 2 (tie). Kimiye Narasaki, CSUS; Allison Todd, USAF; Danielle Albright, SJSU, Shirla Choy, SJSU, Jennifer Green, SJSU, 9.825.

FLOOR EXERCISE - 1. Danielle Albright, SJSU, 9.975; 2. Allison Todd, USAF, 9.950; 3 (tie). Jenny Diamond, CSUS; Jessa Liegl, USAF; Shirla Choy, SJSU; Corrie McDaniel, SPU, 9.925.

ALL-AROUND - 1. Shirla Choy, SJSU, 39.400; 2. Danielle Albright, SJSU, 39.375; 3. Nirvana Zaher, CSUS, 39.150; 4. Allison Todd, USAF, 39.125; 5. Jessa Liegl, USAF, 38.675; 6. Mandi Burdick, UAA, 38.500.