Oregon State
Washington
Beavers Win Comfort Suites Invitational with Season-High 197.275
March 10, 2013 | Women's Gymnastics
March 10, 2013
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 10th-ranked Oregon State gymnastics team raised their performance level another notch for Senior Night, pulling out a convincing win at the Comfort Suites Invitational Saturday evening. The Beavers scored a season-high 197.275 and Makayla Stambaugh, the three-time reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week made a case for a fourth straight award, with a career-best 39.600 in the all-around.
The meet marked the second time the Beavers have reached the 197-point mark this season and their record moved to 13-6.
“Tonight was a great effort and they have a great score to show for it,” head coach Tanya Chaplin said. “But there were some things that happened too. After a fall to start on beam, the team really stayed focused and did an awesome job. On the floor I put Nicole, a freshman, in and she did a good job, but for going in at the last minute she did a great. Now we know we have to go back in the gym and clean these things up. We have a bye week and hopefully we can get everything cleaned up before Pac-12's.”
With extra Senior Night adrenaline pumping the Beavers' vault lineup, which included all five seniors, rocketed to an early lead scoring 49.450 as a team, just .025 off of the school record. Kelsi Blalock scored 9.95 on the vault for the third straight week and Stambaugh posted her second straight career-high on the vault with a 9.925. Chelsea Tang scored 9.875 while Hailey Gaspar and Melanie Jones added 9.85 vaults.
Oregon State carried that momentum over to the uneven bars and the fifth-ranked bars team in the country put in another solid set. Stambaugh earned the event title with a 9.925 routine and Brittany Harris, Stephanie McGregor and Tang tallied matching scores of 9.875.
The Beavers moved to the balance beam with a commanding 98.825- 97.750 over the Huskies at the halfway point. A fall on the opening beam routine tested the mettle of the rest of the beam team. Stambaugh came through in the clutch with a 9.825 to match her season-best. Katelyn Ohlrich and Harris matched Stambaugh's score and Tang and Jones finished the rotation with a pair of 9.90 routines.
Heading into the final rotation, the Beavers led 148.100-146.475 over the Hornets, who had briefly moved into second place. The floor exercise was highlighted by Harris' best performance of the season which scored 9.85 as well as Jones' 9.90 and Stambaugh's nearly flawless 9.925 to close the meet.
The Beavers have a week off before hosting the 2013 Pac-12 Championships at Gill Coliseum Saturday, Mar. 23. With eight teams competing, the championships will be broken into two sessions, with the first at 1:30 p.m. and the second set for a 7 p.m. start.
Tickets are available for the Pac-12 Championships in Corvallis and the NCAA Corvallis Regional Championships. Fans purchasing tickets to either event can get their seats allocated beginning Monday, Feb. 25. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-GO-BEAVS, online at www.BeaverTickets.com or in person at the OSU Ticket Office inside Gill Coliseum.
Team Scores: No. 10 Oregon State 197.275; No. 22 Washington 194.775; Sacramento State 194.675.
All-Around: 1. Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 39.600; 2. Chelsea Tang (OSU) 38.775; 3. Lauren Rogers (WASH) 38.750.
Vault (49.450): 1. Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 9.925; 3. Megan Whitney (WASH) 9.900. Other OSU Scores: Stephanie McGregor 9.800.
Uneven Bars (49.375): 1. Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 9.925; T2. Brittany Harris (OSU) 9.875. Other OSU Scores: Hannah Casey 9.825; Erika Aufiero 9.800.
Balance Beam (49.275): T1. Makayla Stambaugh 9.825; Kelsi Blalock 9.350.
Floor Exercise (49.175): 1. Makayla Stambaugh (OSU) 9.925; 2. Brittany Harris (OSU), Kalliah McCartney (SAC), Lauren Rogers (WASH) 9.850. Other OSU Scores: Cerise Witherby 9.750; Nicole Turner 9.750; Chelsea Tang 9.125.
Players Mentioned
