by Diana Ly, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 14 Arizona State women's gymnastics team (5-1) posted their highest team total since 2006 on their way to earning their second victory over a Pac-12 opponent Sunday afternoon in Wells Fargo Arena.
"Outstanding effort by the team today; I'm really pleased with how we competed today.," said head coach Jay Santos. "We were a little flat in warm-ups today, so we challenged them to come out right at the start with lots of energy, attack everything we do and earn it all along the way. I feel they did a great job of making some adjustments and doing just that.
The team's 196.800 effort over the visiting California Bears' 194.850 constitutes the program's best team tally since the Gym Devils recorded a 197.750 vs. Iowa State. It also accounts for the 19th best team total in Gym Devil history.
Recording event scores of 49.100, 49.325, 49.125 and 49.250 on vault, bars, beam and floor, respectively, Arizona State surpassed the 49+ cumulative tally on each event for the second time this season (the first being their road opener at West Virginia). The Gym Devils have also surpassed the 196+ mark in three consecutive weeks for the first time since 2006.
"We had so many great performances across all the events today," noted Santos. "It is so exciting to see the team embracing a higher standard and be able to execute what we work on in the gym everyday."
Leading the Arizona State effort was two-time Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week Cairo Leonard-Baker with a career-high all-around score 39.575. This puts her at No. 26 (tie) in the record book for the best all-around score in school history. Leonard-Baker also tied for the all-around victory with Cal's Toni-Ann Williams. Leonard-Baker also added a bar title to follow suit.
Starting the meet on vault Leonard-Baker and junior Morgan Wilson led the way with a pair of 9.850s, career highs for both athletes. Sophomore Jessica Ginn also added a career-high 9.825. Junior Anne Kuhm contributed a solid 9.800 for her vault for her own career high.
Heading into the second rotation with a lead over the visiting Golden Bears, ASU posted a season-high 49.325 on bars. The Gym Devils were led by Leonard-Baker's career-high 9.950, which was the highest score overall. Lone senior Nichelle Christopherson recorded a career-high 9.875 while Kuhm and sophomore Morgan Hart added a pair of career-high 9.850s.
On beam, sophomore Ashley Szafranski led the Gym Devils with a 9.875. Leonard-Baker and Christopherson added a pair of 9.850s.
The Sun Devils capped off the meet with high-energy and powerful tumbling on floor for a season-high 49.250 with all six Gym Devils posting scores of 9.800 or better. Leonard-Baker once again led ASU with a career-high 9.925. Junior transfer Kaitlyn Szafranski also added a career-high 9.850.
Up next the Gym Devils hit the road again to face Pac-12 opponent Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore. The annual DAM Cancer meet is slated for a 3:30 p.m. MT start on Saturday, Feb. 3 and will be broadcasted live on Pac-12 Networks.