Falcons To Face Arizona State, Utah
2/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 19, 2004
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After a short week of practice, the Air Force women's gymnastics team heads back out on the road. On Friday, Feb. 20, the Falcons will be heading to Tempe, Ariz., for a tri-meet with Arizona State and Utah. This meet marks the halfway point of the team's road season, as it is the fifth of 10 meets away from the Academy. It is also the Falcons' third meet of the season that features more than one opponent.
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
Arizona State is currently ranked No. 24 in the nation...the Sun Devils have won both meetings of their previous meetings against the Falcons...most recently, ASU fell to No. 19 Washington 197.325-193.075...sophomore Ashley Kelly is ranked ninth on the uneven bars with an average of 9.900...as a squad, the Sun Devils are ranked No. 24 on the beam (48.745) and No. 23 on the uneven bars (48.760).
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
The Utes are ranked No. 4 in the country after suffering their first loss of the season to Michigan (196.725-196.350...Utah defeated Air Force in the only meeting between the two programs...they will be without All-American all-arounder Annabeth Eberle (currently ranked fourth in the country in the AA) who is out with an ankle injury.
LIEGL NAMED MPSF GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Air Force gymnast Jessa Liegl was named Co-Gymnast of the Week by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for the week of Feb. 9. Liegl's honor comes from a stellar performance at the University of Rhode Island on Sunday, Feb. 8. The native of Lincoln, Neb., won the vault and floor exercise, with matching scores of 9.825. She also won the uneven bars with a score of 9.850 and finished second on the balance beam with a mark of 9.850. The combination led to a first-place finish in the all-around with a career-best score of 39.350 (just .050 off of the Academy record of 39.400). She shared the conference's weekly honor with freshman Dominique Ingram of Alaska Anchorage.
IT'S ALL ABOUT TEAMWORK
As a team, the Falcons are ranked second on the vault and third on the balance beam among teams in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation according to the latest GymInfo national rankings. Air Force averages a 48.200 on the vault, trailing only Sacramento State, who has registered a 48.360 average. The Falcons are one of just three teams in the league that average above a 48.000 on the apparatus. On the balance beam, the Falcons' average of 47.630 is just .009 behind second-ranked Seattle Pacific.
FROM THE TOP
Laura Frank leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation on the vault, with an average of 9.800. Frank is one of two Falcons to grace the top three spots. Jessa Liegl is currently ranked third with a 9.735 average. Erin Maguire is ranked eighth in that event with a norm of 9.665. Maguire is also ranked second on the balance beam, with a 9.710 average, as well as the floor exercise with a 9.810. Liegl rounds out the Falcons who are ranked among the conference's top-10, with a seventh-place ranking in the all-around (38.105).
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons dropped a 197.250-190.775 meet to Denver on Monday, Feb. 16, at the Cadet West Gym. Backed by the highest floor exercise total of the season (48.925), Air Force recorded its second-best team score of the season and the first since the season-opener. Jessa Liegl registered the team's highest finish of the night, finishing third on the balance beam with a score of 9.850. Liegl also registered the Falcons' top scores in two other events - a fourth-place finish on the floor exercise with a mark of 9.900 and a sixth-place finish on the vault with a 9.775. Liegl's scores (including a 9.275 on the bars) contributed to a fifth-place finish in the all-around with a 38.800. Tying with Liegl on the vault was Erin Maguire, who also garnered a score of 9.775. Tammy Ritchey garnered the highest Falcon finish of the night on the uneven bars, leading the way with a 9.600. Ritchey's score is tied for the third-best individual score in that event during the season.
HOME SWEET HOME?
There's an old saying that home is where the heart is...but home is NOT where the Air Force gymnastics team has been lately. After opening the season at Cadet West Gym, hosting the Rocky Mountain Open, the Falcons have been home just once. With four of the last five meets on the road for their last four meets, Air Force has made stops in Oklahoma, Texas and Rhode Island. In fact, for the season, the Falcons will be home for just three meets, while competing away from the friendly confines of the Academy for 10.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN ... STILL
Air Force travels to Denton, Texas, for the second time this season on Saturday, Feb. 28. This time, they will face off in a tri-meet with Texas Woman's University and Brigham Young. This will be the third meeting of the season between Air Force and TWU - each earning a victory in the teams' previous competitions. Air Force defeated Texas Woman's University 191.650-185.525 at the Academy on Jan 17, before the Pioneers took a 192.200-187.275 decision in Denton one weekend later (Jan. 24).
