Gymnasts Host UCLA in Home Opener
January 21, 1999
THIS WEEK: The Oregon State gymnastics team looks to rebound from a tough meet at Arizona last weekend. The Beavers will compete at Gill Coliseum for the first time this season when OSU hosts UCLA in the Cellular Season Opener at 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 22. Oregon State then leaves Corvallis the following day to head to Boise State, where the Beavers take on the Broncos at 1:00 p.m. PST Sunday, January 24.
HEAD COACH TANYA CHAPLIN: Tanya Chaplin is in her second year at the helm of the Oregon State gymnastics program. She completed her first year as head coach at OSU with an 11-4 regular season record and went 18-9 including all post-season action. She served as an assistant coach at Washington for seven years before moving to Corvallis. Formerly Tanya Service, she was a six-time All-American and held six school records while competing for UCLA from 1986-89.
THE OSU/UCLA SERIES: The Bruins have a slight edge over the Beavers, with UCLA winning 10 of 18 previous meetings between the two programs. The teams met twice in regular season competition last year, with each team winning at home. UCLA posted a 194.550-192.550 win in Westwood, while the Beavers edged the Bruins 195.450-194.500 in Corvallis.
THE OSU/BOISE STATE SERIES: Oregon State has beaten Boise State 15 out of 16 times, but that one setback came at last year's NCAA West Regional competition. Boise State placed fourth with a 193.925, while OSU was fifth with a 193.250 mark.
PHILLIPS BACK IN TOP FORM: Senior Danae Phillips is back in action after missing the second half of the 1998 season due to injury. In OSU's season-opener against Arizona, Phillips competed on vault and bars and had the teams top scores on both events. She led the Beavers with a 9.775 on bars to place third, and she tied for second with a 9.75 on vault.
BRUCH RECORDS CAREER-BEST ON FLOOR: Sophomore Marissa Bruch led the Beavers with a 9.70 score on floor against Arizona. It was the first time that she recorded the teams top score on an event, and it was also a career-high for her. Her previous best was a 9.55 at the Pacific-10 Championship last season. Bruch also competed on beam and scored a 9.250 after a disappointing fall on the event.
DEGENHARDT REMAINS STRONG ON VAULT: Sophomore Lara Degenhardt, who was OSU's top vaulter last season, continues to lead the team on the event this season. Degenhardt tied senior Danae Phillips for the teams best score at Arizona. They both scored 9.75 on the event to tie for second. After competing on vault and floor in every meet last season, Degenhardt remains in the lineup on both those events this year and also made the bars lineup for the first time.
THEIR FIRST TASTE OF COLLEGIATE COMPETITION: All three freshmen on the Beaver squad competed in at least one event at Arizona. Jerra Lopez had the highest score among the three rookies. Lopez scored a 9.625 on both beam and floor, and her beam score was the second highest on the team. She also scored a 9.90 on bars. Soni Meduna also competed on three events, with her best mark coming with a 9.50 on beam. Meduna scored a 9.40 on vault and 8.80 on bars. Sara Carson scored a 9.40 on vault, her only event .
FALLS HURT BEAVERS IN LOSS TO ARIZONA: Oregon State lost to Arizona, 192.275-189.725, on January 15 and the low score was mainly because of falls. OSU struggled with four falls on bars, the teams first event, and scored a 46.175 on the opening rotation. Seniors Danae Phillips (9.775) and Megan Murphy-Barcroft (9.60) hit their routines, but the Beavers had to count two 9.90s and an 8.80 upon dropping an 8.550 score. The Beavers scored a 48.20 on vault for their best team finish of the four events, but the falls continued with five misses on beam and floor.
TISTU OUT FOR YEAR: Senior Bea Tistu is out for the season after rupturing the Achilles tendon in her left leg while warming up on floor at Arizona on Friday, January 15.
YOUNG MISSES FIRST MEET OF HER CAREER: Junior Corrie Young is listed as probable for Fridays meet against UCLA and will work out this week after missing the Arizona meet with a knee injury. It was the first meet Young had missed in her OSU career. She made the lineup on vault, beam and floor in every meet as a freshman and sophomore.
A LOOK AT UCLA: UCLA has six All-Americans on its 1999 roster, led by five-time All-American and senior co-captain Kiralee Hiyashi. Three-time All-American Heidi Moneymaker and four-time All-American Lena Degteva, both juniors, are coming on strong for the Bruins as well. Sophomore Mohini Bhardwaj, a two-time All-American as a rookie last year, is out with an injury, as is freshman Amy Young. The Bruins are 2-2 on the season, with its most recent outing at Penn State on Sunday. The Bruins (193.825) finished second to Penn State (193.825) but defeated New Hampshire (190.850) in the three-way meet.
A LOOK AT BOISE STATE: The Broncos suffered a 191.00-187.20 loss at Denver in their season opener on January 15. Boise State was without All-America Diana Loosli who is recovering from minor foot surgery. BSUs high scorer was Carrie Roelofs, who placed second with a 9.725 on beam and finished second in the all-around with a 37.95.
PACIFIC-10, NCAA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT OSU: Oregon State will host both the 1999 Pacific-10 and NCAA Regional Championships. Pac-10s are slated for 6:00 p.m., Saturday, March 20. Regionals are scheduled at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, April 10. Tickets to both meets, as well as regular season meets, are available by calling the OSU Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-BEAVS or (541) 737-4455.
