Practicing double tucks, layouts and landings before a meet is crucial, but rest is just as important at this point in the season.
The No. 25 ASU women’s gymnastics team (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12) scored a solid 194.600 to get a win in its first road meet last Friday.
Now, the Sun Devils must drive two hours south to face their rival, No. 16 UA (2-3, 0-2 Pac-12).
Two days after that, they’ll come home to host the No. 1 gymnastics team in the nation, the Utah Utes (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12).
This weekend will give the Sun Devils an opportunity to prove they can compete with the best teams in the nation.
“I’ve been trying to rest their bodies, so we’re working a little bit more on quality than quantity, and being really smart about certain routines,” coach John Spini said. “We’ve had some more depth this year that we haven’t had in the past, so we don’t know what the lineup is going to be on Sunday until we get there and see how their bodies are. But right now, we’re focused on one thing: U of A.”
However, the Gym Devils have performed well since their mediocre season-opener.
ASU is ranked No. 14 on the uneven bars and remains No. 21 on the balance beam.
Junior Amelia Rew set two career highs in both events last meet at Utah State.
“(I’m) definitely feeling really good, it’s really exciting being back from an injury, and just being able to get back onto the floor and compete again,” Rew said. “Just being able to hit the routines that I know I can, like what I do in practice, and then being able to do that in meets.”
Senior Beaté Jones is the Sun Devils’ biggest contributor and has been impressive so far. She and the rest of the Gym Devils know how big a weekend like this one is.
“With UA, we want a good rematch, and we know they’re going to come back harder,” Jones said. “For Utah, they’re No. 1, so I mean, we’re going to go and leave it on the floor, again like we do every meet. I mean, right now, we’re going to go extra hard.”
UA’s best all-around performer senior Deanna Graham injured herself in her floor routine last meeting. Her injury status is unknown.
Sophomore Corrie Lothrop and senior Stephanie McAllister lead the Utes.
Reach the reporter at gdemano@asu.edu
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