Hawthorne and Hance Pace Falcons to Win Over Alaska

Feb. 12, 2012

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Backed by event titles from sophomores Linnaea Hance and Katie Hawthorne, the Air Force women's gymnastics team defeated Alaska-Anchorage in a matinee on Sunday, Feb. 12, in Anchorage. The Falcons used their second-highest score of the season - 190.875 - to defeat the Seawolves (189.300) and claim their first MPSF win of the season.

The pair tied for the top spot on the uneven bars, while Hance also won the balance beam.

With matching marks of 9.725, Hawthorne and Hance won the uneven bars and paced the entire lineup to finishes within the top six on that event. Sophomore Jen Larsen scored a 9.650 to place fourth, while freshman Alexandra Stych finished fifth with a career-best 9.600. Classmate Jessica Wallander and senior Samantha Jones tied for sixth on the bars with matching scores of 9.550.

Hance claimed her second event title of the day on the balance beam, as she scored a 9.700 to win the event title outright. Hawthorne and classmate Jessica Hanner tied for second with scores of 9.650, while Larsen finished fourth with a 9.600.

Hawthorne, who won the all-around with a personal-best 38.500, was the Falcons' top scorer on the floor exercise. The sophomore scored a 9.600 to finish second, while freshman Jessica Wallander finished fourth on that event with a mark of 9.550. Wallander also collected Air Force's best finish on the vault, scoring a 9.800 to finish second. She was one of two Falcons to place within the top three, as Larsen took third with a 9.650.

After spending the first five weeks of the season on the road, Air Force finally opens the home schedule next weekend. The Falcons will host UC Davis at 2 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Cadet West Gym.

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