Feb. 15, 2008
In a competition that remained close throughout the evening, No.17 Arizona State fell to state rival No. 20 University Of Arizona with a score of 195.925 to 195.725. Arizona's Karin Wurm won the all-around with a 39.45 where Junior Nicole Harris took second with a 39.175. Junior Tiana Jean was the next highest scoring Sun Devil with a 39.15. Freshman Francesca Mercurio finished with a 38.95, her career-best.
In the first rotation, the Sun Devils recorded a team total of 48.55. Freshman Beaté Jones led the Gym Devils with a 9.775 tying with three Arizona competitors for first place. Ashlee Hinkle took third with a 9.725. Nicole Harris and Francesca Mercurio stuck their landings to score a solid 9.7. Tiana Jean scored a 9.65 and Freshman Mary Atkinson scored a 9.25. Arizona topped the Sun Devils with a team score of 48.775
The Gym Devils moved to the bars in the second rotation. Harris led the Sun Devils tying for first with an Arizona competitor on the bars with a 9.925. Jean performed a solid routine tying for second with an Arizona competitor scoring a 9.875. Junior Tia Orlando and Mercurio were the next highest scoring Sun Devils both recording scores of 9.825, this marked Mercurio's career-high. Beaté Jones hit her routine to score her career-high of a 9.8. The Sun Devils had a season-high team score of 49.25 to beat out Arizona's score of a 49.025.
Moving into the third rotation, the Sun Devils were tied with the Wildcats. Both team scores totaled 97.8. The Sun Devils moved to the beam where Hinkle led the team with a 9.85. Orlando performed a clean, solid routine scoring a 9.825. Sophomore Kaitlynn Bormann and Jean both scored a solid 9.775. Harris followed with a 9.725 and Mercurio with a 9.7. The Sun Devils score of a 48.95 could not hold up to the Arizona team total of a 49.125, which put the Wildcats in the lead.
Finishing on the floor exercise, the Sun Devils nailed all six routines to keep the competition close. Jean took second in the competition scoring Sun Devil scoring a 9.85. Hinkle and Harris were the second highest scoring Sun Devils scoring a 9.825. Both shined while performing creating loud eruptions of applause from the audience. Brittany Schuett performed a clean, solid routine posting a score of a 9.75. Mercurio followed scoring a 9.725. Jones posted a 9.65. The Sun Devils compiled a team total of 48.975 while the Wildcats compiled score of a 49.0.
The Sun Devils travel to Washington next weekend to take on the Huskies on Friday February 22 at 7:00 p.m. The Sun Devils are back in Wells Fargo Arena on Friday February 29. The Sun Devils host San Jose State, Stanford, and UW-Oshkosh in the UNO's Flip for the Cure Classic. The meet begins at 7 p.m.