Alabama Gymnastics Beats Stanford With Scrambled Lineup
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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Photo Gallery - Bama in San Francisco
PALO ALTO, CALIF. -- With a very different lineup, the Alabama gymnastics team scored its highest road score of the season to beat Stanford here in Roscoe Maples Pavilion, 197.100-194.975.
As part of the pre-meet entertainment, a world class juggler came out and went through his routine. As good as Matt Hall was, he had nothing on the Alabama coaching staff, who had to put together a lineup without senior co-captain Shannon Hrozek or junior Dana Filetti. Filetti battling the flu, had not practiced all week and was not expected to compete. Hrozek on the other hand became ill just this morning.
"We talk about this all the time," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "This is exactly why everyone has to be ready to go at all times. With two all-arounders out of our lineup, things looked a lot different out there, and we challenged the ladies to step up. We talk about how anything can happen on the eve of the national championships and we just used this to help reiterate that point.."
With Filetti and Hrozek, both all-arounders, out of the lineup, a third of the Tide's lineup would be significantly different.
And while the juggler was indicative of the Tide's pre-meet activities, an errant fire alarm that went off after warm-ups, was a omen of the meet to come for the team from Tuscaloosa. With a lineup that wouldn't be fully set until after the warm-up before the last rotation, Alabama put together one of its strongest meets of the season in front of 1,501 fans, the smallest crowd the Crimson Tide has competed in front of this season,.
The Tide, competing at Stanford for the first time, swept the team and individual events. Junior Dana Pierce went all-around for the first time in her career, stepping in on all four events, scoring a 39.250 to win it. Junior Ashley Miles won the vault while she and senior Alexis Brion shared top honors on the floor exercise. Junior Mari Bayer, who grew up 20 minutes from here in San Jose, won the balance beam.
"We promised Mari that we would do our best to bring her back home to compete in front of friends and family and she responded with her strongest performance of the year," Patterson said. "The meet was a double dual with Stanford's men competing against Cal at the same time, so today was run much like a championship meet, with events running at the same time. This helped us prepare for the championships season and responded very well."
Overall the Tide enjoyed a very successful West Coast trip, which included a day in San Francisco yesterday.
"It rained out here the entire week before we arrived," Patterson said. But it has been beautiful here the last two days and we have enjoyed a tremendous trip in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. And now we are looking forward to a weekend off from competition. I can tell you for certain that after three weeks on the road we are very much looking forward to being home in front of the best fans in the nation."
Alabama tied its season high on the uneven bars to get the day started led by Humphrey's winning 9.95 and a 9.9 from Bayer. Miles added a 9.85 while Pierce notched a 9.8. Humphrey, Bayer and Pierce all tied their season high on the bars.
Miles kept the Tide rolling along with a meet best 9.925 on the vault, leading Alabama to a 49.325 team mark. Senior Alexis Brion scored a 9.9 while Humphrey posted a 9.875, which tied her season best. Pierce posted a season best 9.825 while Comeaux led the Tide off with a 9.8 a score matched by freshman Kaitlin White.
Things just got hotter on the third rotation when back-to-back 9.95s from Brion and Miles in the last two positions led the Tide to a season best 49.550. Pierce led the Tide off with a 9.8 followed by twin 9.875s from Reeser and sophomore Erin Rightley. It was Reeser's highest score since her sophomore season. Bayer kept her outstanding homecoming going with a 9.900, tying her season best.
The Tide scored a 48.950 on the balance beam to close out the meet led by Bayer's winning 9.875. Humphrey and Pierce both chipped in 9.825s as well.
