No. 11 Beavers Rock Gill, Test Depth in Win Over No. 14 ‘Cats

For the second week in a row, freshman Jen Kesler wrapped up the uneven bars title, this time with a score of 9.825. Lanz and Rodriguez scored 9.825’s to claim the title on the vault.

OSU Gymnastics file photo Salem-News.com SPORTS

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Oregon State gymnastics team was tested by injury and illness but the Beavers never wavered coming out on top against No. 14 Arizona. Oregon State gymnasts, boosted by a noisy crowd of 5,063, took first place in every event in the 196.275-194.050 victory.

Oregon State, which is 11th in this week’s rankings, improved its season record to 3-1, while the GymCats slipped to (1-3). Friday night, OSU hosted its third annual “Pink Out” designed to raise money and awareness for breast and cervical cancer.

The Beavers, who “hit” 24 out of 24 routines for the first time since March 19, 2005 when they did it at Arkansas, displayed their outstanding depth during the third rotation when they scored a season-high 49.175 on the balance beam. Head coach Tanya Chaplin was forced to scratch Tasha Smith (illness) from the remaining events adding Claire Pierce to the lineup without a warm-up prior to the 3-minute touch period. Despite performing in the competitive lineup in 2008 for the first time, Pierce came through with score of 9.725. Fellow senior Yuki Lamb was also inserted into the lineup for the first time this season scoring 9.8 to finish third on the event. Jami Lanz scored a career-high 9.95 on a near-flawless routine.

“I am really proud of (the team), we changed the line up and they responded very well to it,” said Chaplin. “They actually focused more and got after it and those people that we put in like Claire Pierce and Becky did a fabulous job. Neither Megan nor Becky were in the lineup last week but they did a great job tonight. Yuki and Claire were out of lineups on beam but they came in and hit solid performances. I couldn’t have asked for anything more, they responded to the adversity that was thrown at them and that’s what it’s going to continue to take throughout the rest of the year.”

Freshman Becky Colvin returned to the floor lineup with Smith sidelined and tumbled to a career-best 9.7 and senior Megan Devencenzi joined the competitive lineup for the first time in 2008 scoring a 9.725. But it was the back end of the lineup that electrified the crowd. Lamb and Mandi Rodriguez posted matching 9.875’s to finish first and Jami Lanz added a score of 9.85.

For the second week in a row, freshman Jen Kesler wrapped up the uneven bars title, this time with a score of 9.825. Lanz and Rodriguez scored 9.825’s to claim the title on the vault. Lanz’s season-high score of 39.425 was good for first in the all-around.

The Beavers host the NCAA West Regional Championships April 12, 2008. Tickets for the regional meet can be purchased by calling 1-800-GO-BEAVS or at the Gill Coliseum Ticket Office, room 107.

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