Husky Gymnasts Travel to California
February 17, 1999
This Week: The Washington women's gymnastics team (7-5) hits the road this week for a three-way meet at California. In addition to the Golden Bears, San Jose State will take part in the meet scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Cal's Recreational Sports Facility.
Last Week: Washington used a strong finish on floor exercise to rally to narrowly defeat Stanford and win a four-way home meet. The Huskies edged the Cardinal 192.975 to 192.950 to raise their record to 7-5. UC Davis edged out Seattle Pacific 187.800 to 187.700 for third-place honors. Sophomore Lanna Apisukh led the Huskies by winning the all-around and finishing first in vault, beam and floor. Washington turned in season-best scores on vault (48.400), beam (48.600) and floor (48.625).
The Rankings: Washington figures 20th in this week's collegiate gymnastics poll with an average score of 192.200. The Huskies ranked 13th in the nation on balance beam with a 48.046 average and figure 24th in floor exercise at 48.275. Individually, Lanna Apisukh is ranked sixth nationally in the floor exercise at 9.854 and is 14th in all-around with an average of 38.950.
Apisukh Continues to Streak: Sophomore Lanna Apisukh enters Friday's meet coming off of the best all-around performance of her career. The Lake Mary, Fla., native won the all-around in a four-way meet with Stanford, UC Davis and Seattle Pacific 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 year Apisukh has won or tied for first in 11 events, including all-around victories in three of the Huskies' last four meets.
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 94-71 record.
Career Highs: Three 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.
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 38.925 score to win 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 return to Hec Edmundson Pavilion to meet Oregon State on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
1999 Washington Gymnastics Results Record: 7-5Date 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 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
