Sophomore Allie Salas stikes a pose during her floor routine at the the first home meet. (Photo courtesy of Arianna Grainey)
The ASU gymnastics team started its new campaign with a narrow second place finish in a tri-meet with San Jose State and Sacramento State. The Spartans won with a collective score of 194.2, besting ASU’s 193.525 and Sacramento State’s 192.225.
ASU started out on the vault, and after sophomore Erin Hamister led off with a strong 9.775, freshman Gilly Hogue scored a 9.85, which was good for second overall in the meet. Senior Sammie Seaman returned from an injury her junior year to post a 9.75. Sophomore Allie Salas and junior Natasha Sundby each scored 9.825 as ASU finished with a collective 49.05, best of the three schools.
Sophomore Risa Perez led off the uneven bars for the Sun Devils with a 9.625. After sophomore Kristine Levin scored a 9.725, freshman Beka Conrad excelled with a 9.825, good for second overall. Sophomore anchor Carissa Kraus took first place with a 9.9 as ASU posted a 48.8, first overall.
On balance beam, ASU struggled as two Sun Devils fell on the beam. Sophomore Stephanie Miceli led the Sun Devils with a 9.775, followed by junior Brianna Gades. Perez scored a 9.675 and Conrad a 9.65 as ASU finished with a 48.00 overall, last out of the three teams.
The fourth and final rotation had the Sun Devils doing their floor routines. Seaman led off with a 9.675, followed by a strong 9.75 from Conrad. Perez led the team with a 9.8 as ASU scored a 47.875 on floor, last of the three schools.
Sacramento State junior Kalliah McCartney won the vault with a 9.875, followed by Hogue’s 9.85 and Salas’s 9.825. ASU’s Kraus took home the top place on bars with a 9.9, followed by Conrad’s 9.825 and a 9.8 from sophomore Marissa Unpingco of San Jose State. Julia Greer of San Jose State and Sacramento State’s McCartney tied for first on beam with a 9.825, as ASU’s Micelli took third with a 9.775. On floor, Greer won with a 9.85, followed by ASU’s Perez’s 9.8 and Conrad’s 9.75.
ASU travels to Seattle on the Jan. 18 for its next meet. It’ll be part of a quad-meet, including Washington, San Jose State and UC Davis. The Sun Devils return home to face California on Friday, Jan. 24.
Reach the reporter at stheodor@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @shane_writes
