Sunday NCAA wrap: UCLA betters NCAA season best with 197.575

UCLA vs. San Jose State: UCLA 197.575, San Jose State 193.2. The best thing about this meet from the UCLA standpoint, according to head coach Valorie Kondos-Field, wasn't that the team posted the highest score any team has posted all year, but that they can do better. She's right: the 197.575 was achieved without Vanessa Zamarripa or Mattie Larson on floor, and by dropping a 9.25 from Larson on beam. So yes, they can be better.

 

But as it was, the meet was a showcase of UCLA's depth: Samantha Peszek won her third consecutive all-around (39.5) and also topped the standings on beam (9.9), while Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs won floor (9.95), Tauny Frattone vault (9.95) and Aisha Gerber and Olivia Courtney shared the bars title (9.9). Note: It's worth mentioning also that San Jose State senior Thomasina Wallace, a force in her own right, finished second all-around with 39.175. (UCLA Bruins)

 

Stanford vs. Washington: Stanford 195.925, Washington 195.725. Stanford may have held back a bit against their Pac-12 rival Washington, but they still did enough -- barely -- to secure the win. But when talents like Ivana Hong and Samantha Shapiro are held to a single event, it makes it hard to gauge exactly where the Cardinal is. But maybe that's how they want it. Freshman Becky Wing of Stanford (a 2008 Olympian for Great Britain) had the top score on bars, while Ashley Morgan was the no. 1 on beam and floor (a pair of 9.9s). Washington senior Amanda Cline won vault (9.875), and Stanford's Nicole Pechanec was the best all-around gymnast (39.25). (Washington Huskies)

 

Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan: Western Michigan 194.575, Northern Illinois 193.35. The win takes WMU to 3-0 on the season. WMU's Caroline O'Brien was the only multiple event winner, taking the title on bars (9.8) and sharing the beam victory with NIU's Megan Melendez (9.7). Elsewhere, Lauren Bledsoe won vault (9.85) for WMU, and Taylor Zondervan and NIU's Tanya Richan split the won on floor (9.85). Kim Gotlund, the only gymnast from either team to compete all-around, scored 38.725. (Western Michigan Broncos)

 

UC Davis vs. Air Force: UC Davis 191.45, Air Force 185.75. A weak performance by Air Force on floor led to this lopsided victory for UC Davis. All-around champ Katie Yamamura of Davis (38.425) also won vault (9.825) and shared the bars title with Air Force's Linnaea Hance (9.725), while Hance got her own sole victory on beam (9.775). Davis's Taryn West was the champion on floor (9.8). (UC Davis Aggies)

 

Alaska vs. Towson and William & Mary: Towson 193.0, Alaska 187.875, William & Mary 184.9. Towson star Kacy Catanzaro emerged victorious on every event except floor, which was conveniently won by her teammate Avis Hixson (9.85) in this Towson rout. Catanzaro scored 9.875 on vault, 9.825 on bars and 9.75 on beam on her way to a 38.9 in the all-around. (Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves)

 

Bridgeport vs. Brown and Rhode Island: Bridgeport 191.8, Brown 187.425, Rhode Island 169.25. This meet belonged to Bridgeport's Monica Mesalles, who won every event (9.875 on vault, 9.9 on beam, 9.8 on floor) save bars, which was taken by her teammate Emily Turik (9.725). (Bridgeport Purple Knights)

 

Springfield vs. Brockport State, Southern Connecticut and Yale: Yale 189.475, Southern Connecticut 188.825, Brockport 186.475, Springfield 184.55. Yale's Joyce Li won the all-around (37.8) and beam (9.7), helping Yale dominate this Division II matchup. Southern Connecticut's Rebecca Brady was the champion on vault (9.825), teammate Kirby Pallas won bars (9.85) and Yale's Tara Field took floor (9.775). (Southern Connecticut Owls) 

 

Ithaca vs. Ursinus and Temple: Temple 185.975, Ithaca 183.125, Ursinus 180.35. All-around champion Katie Canning of Temple (38.275) also took home the title on vault (9.725), while teammates Corrine Williams mopped up first place on beam (9.675) and floor (9.75). Their teammate Kaity Watson was the best on bars (9.55). (Ursinus Athletics)