Oregon State
LSU
No. 8 Beavers Knock Off No. 12 LSU
January 08, 2011 | Women's Gymnastics
Jan. 7, 2011
Complete Results
Photo Gallery
Complete Results in PDF Format 
CORVALLIS - The No. 8 Oregon State gymnastics team tumbled past No. 12 LSU in Friday night's season opener at Gill Coliseum, 195.400-193.350. Leslie Mak, competing in the all-around for the first time in her college career, earned four individual titles including the all-around with a score of 39.375.
The Beavers, who have battled minor injuries throughout the preseason, started the season hitting on all cylinders in the first rotation. Sophomore Melanie Jones, who is performing a new vault in 2011, had a solid routine setting up what might have been the surprise of the night. Mak, a junior who hadn't vaulted in competition in four years, nailed her vault to score 9.875 tying for the individual title. Mak's performance seemed to energize her teammates who finished out the rotation with strong performances. Kelsi Blalock added a 9.85, Makayla Stambaugh hit for a 9.825 and Becky Colvin nailed a 9.875 to tie Mak.
"I was a little nervous getting ready for vault," Mak said. "I kind of felt like a freshman, but I was really happy with my vault and know that as I get more numbers in it'll be more natural. It was a lot of fun out there tonight."
After the opening rotation, the Beavers held the lead over the Tigers by nearly a full point, 49.150-48.200. But the Beavers weren't done adding to the margin. Stephanie McGregor led off for the bars lineup with a 9.775 and Jen Kesler, who performed despite a bruised heel suffered this week in practice, tallied a 9.70. Freshman Brittany Harris, in her first college routine, hit a 9.825 routine to tie for second in the meet. Stambaugh followed with a score of 9.75 which drew the ire of the 3,756 fans in attendance. Mak scored a 9.80 and Olivia Vivian finished the rotation at 9.875 to win the individual title.
At the halfway point OSU held a comfortable lead, 98.175-96.975. The Oregon State beam team stumbled a bit breaking the momentum of the first half of the meet with a pair of falls. Leading off the rotation, Jones missed on her tumbling series but Blalock came right back with a solid routine and a score of 9.70. Vivian followed with a 9.725 and Harris scored 9.675 before Stambaugh fell forcing the Beavers to count a fall. Mak finished the rotation with a beautiful routine and a score of 9.825 to win the individual title.
"I wish we would have performed on the beam the way we did yesterday," head coach Tanya Chaplin said. "It was really solid, but we have another opportunity to go and fix some of those mistakes right away. This is just the beginning of our business weekend, we have to get on that plane tomorrow and focus on our next meet on Sunday."
Despite their earlier bobbles, Jones and Stambaugh, who anchor the Beavers' floor exercise line up, bounced back to perform outstanding routines scoring 9.825 and 9.875 to close out the meet. Earlier in the rotation, Blalock set a personal best of 9.775, Vivian set her personal mark at 9.875 and Mak tied her personal best of 9.875 to tie for the individual title.
The Beavers travel to Los Angeles to participate in the Pac-10 Showcase Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion. The Pac-10 Showcase features all seven teams, six of which are ranked in the Top 25, and will be televised by FSN via tape delay. It will air on FSN NW Thursday, Jan. 13, at noon and re-air three times (Sat., Jan. 15 at 3:30 p.m., Tues., Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m., and Wed., Jan. 19 at 1:30 p.m.)
Oregon State is back in action at Gill Coliseum next Friday, Jan. 14, when the Beavers host Ohio State at 7 p.m.
Notes: Three of Oregon State's four freshmen participated in their first collegiate meet Friday. Brittany Harris scored 9.825 to tie for second on the uneven bars and also scored 9.675 on the balance beam. Hannah Casey performed an exhibition routine on the bars scoring 9.65 and Amanda Schulberg scored 9.675 in a beam exhibition ... Britney Ranzy, who is recovering from a sprained elbow, participated in vault warm-ups but was not in the lineup. Her addition to the lineup is expected soon ... LSU's Samantha Engle's grip broke during her uneven bars routine causing a short delay to the competition. Due to the equipment failure she was allowed to finish her routine.
Team Scores: No. 8 Oregon State 195.400; No. 12 LSU 193.350.
All-Around: 1. Leslie Mak (OSU) 39.375; 2. Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 38.475; 3. Sarie Morrison (LSU) 38.425.
Vault (49.150): T1. Becky Colvin (OSU), Leslie Mak (OSU) 9.875; 3. Kelsi Blalock (OSU) 9.850. Other OSU Scores: Makayla Stambaugh 9.825; Melanie Jones 9.725; Stephanie McGregor 9.675 (Exhibition - Leilani Alferos 9.450).
Uneven Bars (49.025): 1. Olivia Vivian (OSU) 9.875; T2. Brittany Harris (OSU), Sarie Morrison (LSU) 9.825. Other OSU Scores: Leslie Mak 9.800; Stephanie McGregor 9.775; Makayla Stambaugh 9.750; Jen Kesler 9.700 (Exhibition - Hannah Casey 9.650).
Balance Beam (48.000): 1. Leslie Mak (OSU) 9.825; 2. Olivia Vivian (OSU) 9.725; 3. Kelsi Blalock (OSU) 9.700. Other OSU Scores: Brittany Harris 9.675; Melanie Jones 9.075; Makayla Stambaugh 9.025 (Exhibition - Amanda Schulberg 9.675).
Floor Exercise (49.225): T1. Olivia Vivian (OSU), Leslie Mak (OSU), Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 9.875. Other OSU Scores: Melanie Jones 9.825; Kelsi Blalock 9.775; Stephanie McGregor 9.675.
Players Mentioned
