March 29, 2008
SEATTLE, Wash. - The Arizona State women's gymnastics team had a rough night at the Pac-10 Championships as they lost one of their top gymnasts for the season and scored their lowest score since 2005. The Sun Devils placed seventh at Pac-10s with a score of 191.925 at Bank of America Arena. Junior standout Tia Orlando suffered a season-ending Achilles injury while warming up on floor. Orlando had been the team's anchor on beam and floor and had also been one of the top scorers on bars for the Sun Devils. Stanford won Pac-10s with a 197.
The Sun Devils started out on floor. With Orlando out, the Sun Devils were only able to put five in the rotation, forcing them to count a fall and score a season-low 47.225. Junior Ashlee Hinkle led the team with a 9.750. Tiana Jean and Beaté Jones each put up solid scores of 9.725 while Brittany Schuett earned a 9.575.
Moving onto to vault, the Sun Devils earned a score of 48.375. Hinkle again led the Devils with a 9.850 to place third. Jones also had a solid vault with a 9.800. Francesca Mercurio recovered from her floor routine to score 9.7 for the Devils. Jean put up a score of 9.575 while Schuett scored a 9.45.
On bars, the Sun Devils were again only able to put up five athletes and had to again count a fall to earn a 48.225. Jean led the Devils with a 9.8. Jones had her second-highest score of the season with 9.775. Atkinson also hit her routine with a 9.775. Sophomore Kaitlynn Bormann tallied a 9.625. Mercurio fell on her routine, earning a 9.250.
The Sun Devils ended on beam, scoring 48.1. Hinkle led the Sun Devils for the third time of the evening. The junior scored a 9.850 to place eighth. Jean and Mercurio each tallied solid scores of 9.775. Bormann hit for a 9.5. The Sun Devils were forced to count a fall as both Schuett and Jones fell in their routines.
Jean placed 10th in the all-around with a score of 38.875 while Jones placed 13th with a 38.450. Mercurio scored a 37.175 in the all-around.
The Sun Devils will be selected for a regional on Monday.