Alabama Gymnastics Takes Second at the NCAA West Region Championships
4/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
 |
|
Corvallis, Ore. – Things don’t get much more pressure packed than this.
Alabama was cruising towards its 22nd consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships when two falls on the uneven bars and a hot vaulting streak by Oregon State brought the NCAA West Region Championships down to Alabama senior Jeana Rice. Oregon State was done and Rice had to score a 9.85 to tie the home standing Beavers and earn a bid to nationals.
But this is Jeana Rice we’re talking about, the two-time SEC All-Around Champion, one of the nation’s best all-arounders, and an athlete at her best when things are tightest.
She scored a 9.9 and the Alabama nation heaved a sigh of relief as the Tide posted a 196.9 to better Oregon State’s total by .05 and will advance, taking the second spot behind Oklahoma’s 197.100. It was the Sooners’ first regional title. California finished fourth with a 195.125, followed by Boise State, 195.275 and Cal State-Fullerton, 193.150.
Rice not only saved the day, but she won the all-around with a 39.550. It marked her third career NCAA Regional all-around title. Sophomore Shannon Hrozek was just off her career best in the all-around, posting a 39.475. Sophomore Ashley Miles won the floor exercise and the vault. Rice and Hrozek tied for top honors on the uneven bars.
The second place finish sends the Tide to its 22nd consecutive NCAA Championships. Alabama has just more than a week before making a return trip to the West Coast April 15-17 for the NCAA Championships held on the UCLA campus.
For Oklahoma, their fourth trip to the NCAA Championships was spurred by a season and meet best 49.425 on the balance beam.
Alabama posted the night’s best scores on the floor exercise and vault and those two proved to be the difference between advancing and sitting home. Rice and Hrozek both scored 9.9 on the uneven bars, pushing Alabama to a 47.775.
Junior Michelle Reeser started Alabama off with its best balance beam score of the night, going 9.875, pacing them to a 49.150. Sophomore Mari Bayer and Rice chipped in a 9.85 and 9.825 respectively while sophomore Rachel Delahoussaye and Hrozek both went 9.8. While not a spectacular start, it was a solid outing on the Tide’s weakest event.
Alabama flashed to a 49.475 on the floor exercise, paced by a 9.95 from sophomore Ashley Miles in the anchor spot. Rice went 9.925 while Bayer and Hrozek both went 9.875. The Tide’s team floor total tied for its fourth best of the season.
Miles soared to a 9.95 on the vault, pushing Alabama to a 49.500. A flurry of 9.9s from Hrozek, Rice and Brion and a 9.85 from sophomore Dana Filetti rounded out the Tide’s scoring. It was the Tide’s sixth 49.5 or better scoring in the last eight meets.
VAULT BARS BEAM FLOOR Totals
Alabama 49.500 48.775 49.150 49.475 196.900
Oregon State 49.350 48.950 49.350 49.200 196.850
Oklahoma 49.175 49.150 49.425 49.350 197.100
California 49.200 48.650 48.900 48.375 195.125
Boise State 48.950 48.225 49.100 49.000 195.275
CS-Fullerton 48.000 47.700 48.625 48.825 193.150
