UW Gymnasts Hosts Oregon State
February 24, 1999
This Week: The Washington women's gymnastics team (9-5) will play host to 14th-ranked Oregon State Friday at 7 p.m. in Hec Edmundson Pavilion in the final Husky home meet of the season. The meet will also mark the last time Washington competes in Hec Edmundson Pavilion before the building undergoes an 18-month, $36-million renovation project that starts in April.
Last Week: The 20th-ranked Washington women's gymnastics team defeated California and San Jose State in Berkeley to raise the Huskies' record to 9-5. It was the Huskies' second straight meet victory. Trailing after two rotations, the Huskies used strong performances on uneven bars and balance beam to post a winning score of 193.600, the team's highest point total of the year. California scored 192.475 while the Spartans placed third with 189.075 points. Washington junior Lauren Riesenman won the all-around competition with a career best score of 39.125. Lanna Apisukh and Amber Erdos also had solid meets for the Huskies, finishing in second and third in the all-around, respectively.
The Rankings: Despite posting its top score of the season last week at California, Washington fell one spot in this week's collegiate gymnastics rankings to 21st. The Huskies current average score is 192.400. Washington ranks 12th nationally on balance beam with an average score of 48.125. Individually, Lanna Apisukh is ranked 11th nationally in floor exercise at 9.8429 and is 17th in all-around with an average of 38.950.
Riesenman Has the Hot Hand: Junior All-American Lauren Riesenman enters Friday's meet coming off the best all-around performance of her career. The Clovis, Calif., native, won the all-around in a three-way meet at California last week with a score of 39.125. It was Riesenman's second all-around victory of the season. She also placed first at Arizona State with a score of 38.925. Riesenman's victory at California included season high scores in all four events. Washington gymnasts have won the all-around competition at five of the Huskies' seven meets this year.
Apisukh Continues to Impress: Sophomore Lanna Apisukh has proven to be the Huskies' most consistent performer this year. She has racked up three all-around victories and won top event honors eight times this year. Two weeks ago Apisukh turned in the best all-around performance of her career. The Lake Mary, Fla., native won the all-around at the UW Quadrangular by posting a score of 39.300. A week earlier she had set her career high in the all-around with a 39.125 performance at Boise State. This season she has posted new career highs in vault (9.825, twice) and bars (9.900).
Freshmen of Influence: A trio of freshmen are having an impact on the Huskies this season. Allison Bruce, Sidney Field and Celeste Montalvo have become regulars in the UW lineup. Bruce competes on bars and beam, Field in vault, bars and floor and Montalvo in beam and floor. All three competitors have registered at least a 9.700 on one event this year. Field is capable of boosting the Huskies' all-around lineup. She competed in all four events in Washington's first two meets of the season.
Coach Bob Levesque: Bob Levesque is in his ninth year directing the Washington gymnastics program. The past two years Levesque has been named the Pac-10 and West Region coach of the year. He is the first UW coach to lead the Huskies to back-to-back NCAA appearances (1997 & '98). In six of his eight years at Washington, Levesque has seen at least one Husky gymnast compete at the NCAA championships. Levesque is closing in on his 100th career win. He enters this week's meet with a 96-71 record.
Career Highs: Four Husky veterans have recorded career highs this season. Sophomore Lanna Apisukh leads that group with career bests in vault (9.825), bars (9.900) and all-around (39.300). Junior Crystal Collins, who competes on the bars, set a career high with a 9.825 score in UW's win vs. Arizona and Nebraska. Senior Amber Erdos equaled her career high last week with a 9.725 on beam. Lauren Riesenman won the all-around at California with a career high score of 39.125.
All-Arounders: Washington's current lineup features a trio of all-arounders. Sophomore Lanna Apisukh, senior Amber Erdos and junior Lauren Riesenman are competing in all four events. Apisukh has turned in three 39+ scores this season and has three all-around titles to her credit. while Riesenman's best effort was a 39.125 to win the all-around at California. Earlier in the season she scored 38.925 to claim the all-around in a dual meet with Arizona State. Erdos' top score was a 38.350 effort vs. defending NCAA champion Georgia in the season opener. Tiffany Simpson, currently sidelined with an injury, and freshman Sidney Field, have also competed in the all-around for UW this year.
Injury Report: Six-time All-American Tiffany Simpson is currently sidelined with a stress fracture in her right leg. Simpson may be able to return to the Huskies' lineup in time for postseason competition. Freshman Stacy Wong will redshirt the season after undergoing back surgery (disc) prior to the start of the season.
Up Next: The Huskies travel to Utah for a meet on March 6 before taking a week off in preparation for the Pac-10 Championships.
1999 Washington Gymnastics Results
Record: 9-5
Date Opponent Result UW Score/Opp.
Jan. 8 GEORGIA 2nd 190.950/193.375
Jan. 15 at Arizona State 2nd 192.250/193.150
Jan. 22 Three-way meet @ UW 1st 193.000
ARIZONA 2nd 190.350
NEBRASKA 3rd 190.250
Jan. 31 at UCLA Quadrangular 2nd 191.475
UCLA 1st 192.350
Maryland 3rd 188.400
UC Santa Barbara 4th 183.575
Feb. 6 at Boise State 3rd 192.550
Utah State 1st 193.125
Boise State 1st 192.700
Feb. 12 UW Quadrangular 1st 192.975
Stanford 2nd 192.750
UC Davis 3rd 187.800
Seattle Pacific 4th 187.700
Feb. 19 at California 1st 193.600
California 2nd 192.475
San Jose St. 3rd 189.075
Feb. 26 OREGON STATE
Mar. 6 at Utah
Mar. 20 at Pac-10 Championnships (Corvallis, OR)
Mar. 25 at Seattle Pacific
Apr. 10 NCAA West Regional (Corvallis, OR)
Apr. 22-24 NCAA Championships (Salt Lake City)
UW Home meets at Hec Edmundson Pavilion
Meet-by-Meet Event Scores Meet Vault Bars Beam Floor Total Georgia 48.150 46.825 47.600 48.375 190.950 at Arizona State 48.300 47.825 47.725 48.400 192.250 Arizona/Nebraska 47.650 48.975 47.800 48.575 193.000 at UCLA Quad 47.475 47.850 48.050 48.100 191.475 at Boise State Tri-Meet 48.300 48.175 48.500 47.575 192.550 UW Quadrangular 48.400 47.350 48.600 48.625 192.975 at Cal/San Jose State 48.175 48.750 48.600 48.075 193.600
