|
TWU
Home > Student
Life > Athletics > Gymnastics > Archives > 2003
News > January 10
PIONEER
GYMNASTICS FALLS TO SOUTHERN UTAH
TO OPEN 2003 SEASON
CEDAR
CITY, UTAH—Texas Woman’s University
(0-1) recorded a team score of 189.750, three and a half points
better than their opening score last season, but fell to Southern
Utah (1-0) with a 193.225. The Thunderbirds won
every event on the night and took the top two individual spots
as well. Senior Luci Romberg (Foxfield, CO/Cherry Creek
H.S.) finished third in the all-around with a cumulative
score of 37.825.
“Despite the short preparation time and tired legs we
had, I was very pleased with the team tonight. We scored a
189.75, which is a big improvement from our opening meet score
last season,” head coach Frank Kudlac said. “Two
freshmen, Nakia Westbrook and Amber McMeans, really stepped
up and performed well in their first collegiate meet. Beam
was our worst event tonight and it showed how tired this team
really was because we had to count some falls. We still have
a lot of work to do, but we are looking forward to opening
up at home against Oklahoma next Friday.”
Southern Utah won the vault with a team score of 48.175, but
TWU was not too far behind with a 48.050. Sandi Lyman won the
event with a 9.775 and was followed on the podium with Sheena
Shaw (9.700) and Rachel Tanner (9.650). Dana Giametta (Brookshire,
TX/Terry H.S.) and Jonica Scott (Grand Prairie, TX/Bowie
H.S.) were the highest-ranking Pioneers, tying Tanner for
third with a 9.650. The Thunderbirds took the uneven bars by
more than a point, 48.650 to 47.625, with Jessiann Andrus leading
the event with a 9.825. Talayna Fortunato followed her in second
with a 9.800 while TWU’s Romberg came up third, scoring
a 9.750. The Pioneers did not fair well on balance beam, losing
that event 47.625 to 45.675. SUU took the top three spots with
Jayme Morgan and Jessiann Andrus tying for the top spot with
a 9.750. Brandi Smith (Smithville, TX/Smithville H.S.) finished
the highest of any TWU gymnast on the beam with a 9.575 in
fourth place. The Thunderbirds took the floor exercise with
a meet-high score of 48.775 while the Pioneers registered a
48.400. Sandi Lyman took her second event of the evening, winning
the floor with a meet-high 9.900. TWU’s Jonica Scott tied
SUU’s Molly Bauer for second with a 9.800.
Jayme
Morgan of Southern Utah won the all-around competition with
a total
score of 38.675 in her four events. She was followed
by her teammate Talayna Fortunato with a 38.025 and TWU’s
Romberg in third. Other notable performances for TWU were senior Lindsey
Clowers (Garland, TX/South Garland H.S.) with a 9.725
and a fifth place finish on floor and fellow senior Stephanie
Loudat (Houston, TX/Cy-Falls HS) registering a sixth
place finish on bars with a 9.700. The freshmen duo of Nakia
Westbrook (Round Rock, TX/Round Rock H.S.) and Amber
McMeans (Hurst, TX/ L.D. Bell H.S.) both counted towards
the team total in their collegiate debut, each scoring a 9.625.
Westbrook’s score came on vault while McMeans chipped
in her score on the floor exercise.
Up
next, the Pioneers open up their home schedule by hosting
the No. 12 ranked team in Division I, the University of Oklahoma
Sooners on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. The TWU gymnastics
team will be sponsoring Private Club Appreciation Night at
Kitty Magee Arena, meaning any gymnasts that is 18 years old
or younger and is a member of a private club will receive admission
to the meet for only 10 cents.
--
www.twuathletics.com --
|
