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 Lida Gehlen was one of four gymnasts to score a third-place 9.850 on uneven bars at Saturday's West Regional at Oregon State. (Wayne Tilcock, Davis Enterprise) |
April 12, 2008
CORVALLIS, Ore. - UC Davis sophomore Lida Gehlen scored a 9.850 on the uneven parallel bars to tie for third place at the NCAA West Region women's gymnastics meet at Oregon State's Gill Coliseum Saturday. In doing so, she posts the highest-ever NCAA regional finish by an Aggie gymnast since the program began Division I competition in 1993.
Gehlen was one of three UC Davis gymnasts to qualify for the regional. Senior Michelle Kulovitz posted a 9.600 on floor exercise, which ended up in a tie for 33rd place. Sophomore Tanya Ho made the meet as an all-arounder, placing 11th with a 38.525. Her meet was highlighted by a 9.750 on balance beam, her second-highest score of the year for that apparatus.
Gehlen finished the year ranked 11th in the West Region and tied for 51st nationally with a regional-qualifying average of 9.840. That score also ranked eighth among the six teams competing in Saturday's regional, mostly behind members of the Michigan team. Oregon State's Jen Kesler, who was part of the sizable tie with Gehlen in the national rankings, won the event with a season-best 9.950.
Host Oregon State won the meet with a 197.100, upsetting second-place Michigan, which tallied a 196.375. Michigan State placed third at 195.125, Washington was fourth with a 194.075 and San Jose State finished fifth at 193.850. Sacramento State, which counted a fall on uneven bars, was sixth with a 193.575 total. The top two teams from each regional advance to the NCAA Championship, hosted by the University of Georgia on April 24-26.
Ho also scored 9.625 on vault, 9.575 on bars and 9.575 to round out her all-around score.
Oregon State's Jami Lanz was the meet's big winner, capturing the individual all-around with a 39.575 and claiming the balance beam title at 9.950. She also finished second on bars (9.875) and tied for second on vault (9.900).
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UC Davis women's gymnastics finished its 2008 season on a strong note, posting two of the three highest team scores in school history, including a 194.700 that landed the Aggies its first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title.
2008 NCAA WEST REGION WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIP
Oregon State University, April 12
Top three plus UC Davis finishers listed.
TEAM SCORES - 1. Oregon State, 197.100; 2. Michigan, 196.375; 3. Michigan State, 195.125; 4. Washington, 194.075; 5. San Jose State, 193.850; 6. Sacramento State, 193.575.
VAULT - 1. Yuki Lamb, OSU, 9.925; 2 (tie). Jami Lanz, OSU; Mandi Rodriguez, OSU; Rhiannon Banda-Scott, MSU; Ashley Houghting, UW, 9.900... T27. Tanya Ho, 9.625.
UNEVEN BARS - 1. Jen Kesler, OSU, 9.950 ; 2. Jami Lanz, OSU, 9.875; 3 (tie). Laura-Ann Chong, OSU; Nikki Waiss, UW; Sarah Curtis, UM; Lida Gehlen, UC Davis, 9.850... T35. Tanya Ho, 9.575.
BALANCE BEAM - 1. Jami Lanz, OSU, 9.950; 2 (tie). Lindsey Bruck, U; Kelsey Morley, MSU, 9.900... T21. Tanya Ho, 9.750.
FLOOR EXERCISE - 1 (tie). Mandi Rodriguez, OSU; Tasha Smith, OSU, 9.900; 2 (tie). Sarah Curtis, UM; Lindsey Buck, UM; Kylee Botterman, UM; Rochelle Robinson, MSU, 9.875... T33. Michelle Kulovitz, 9.600; 35. Tanya Ho, 9.575.
ALL-AROUND - 1. Jami Lanz, OSU, 39.575; 2. Lindsey Buck, UM, 39.375; 3. Sarah Curtis, UM, 39.350... 11. Tanya Ho, 38.525.
