TEMPE – In their last Pac-12 regular season meet, No. 18 Sun Devil Gymnastics upset No. 10 UCLA (196.325) on Saturday, 196.625 to 196.325, for their highest ranked win of the year.
Notable Stats
Quotes
Head Coach Jay Santos
Opening Statement
"It was kind of a weird, crazy meet in my opinion. Especially with how it ended and we weren't sure that we were gonna be able to get there with that. I think we gave some stuff away. I think we started really well but then gave some stuff away, and then obviously they (ASU) kept fighting, they didn't give up. Credit to them for not giving up because then they got the opportunity to do what they did and get that win against UCLA, the number 10 team in the country, which is always exciting. I think we have to continue working on cleaning up the performance, cleaning up the gymnastics a little bit. Plenty of stuff to work on, but I am really proud of them, really happy that they were able to stick it out and keep plugging away and come away with a win."
On the last Pac-12 conference meet and the growth throughout the season:
"I think that the gap has just gotten closer and tighter over the last several years in the conference. I think there used to be a little bigger gap between teams and a lot of the teams are a lot closer (in scores). We're all packed in really tight. It really comes down to what happens in the arena that day and who's performing and who's on and who's not. I think that's great for sports. That leads to great, exciting events when you don't know the outcome. We've got so much upperclassman leadership. I think that shows in a meet like this where those middle two rotations weren't going perfect and they didn't just pack it in; they went to floor, did a nice strong job and were able to come away with it. That just shows that they were still fighting, they weren't just going to give in."
On having the alumni there for the alumni meet:
"It was great. It's amazing to bring them back into the program. They had so much success during John (Spini)'s time, so it's great to have them around and bring them back. Even just to have them see a meet like this and show them that we're still doing it. We're still trying to make them proud and hold up that legacy. It's always great when things like that can come together."
Graduate Hannah Scharf
On her floor routine:
"I didn't know that I had to do a really good routine, I thought we had already won. I had heard the crowd but I didn't see the other girl fall, I just thought, 'Oh we won.' But, I wasn't thinking too much during my routine, so I just kinda let it flow and let my body take over. So it felt really good."
On her feelings heading into senior night:
"It's sad for me because I know it's my last one, but I really enjoyed my five years here and I feel like I've taken every opportunity I can to just enjoy the experience. I knew it was coming to an end eventually, but it's definitely gonna be sad because it's finally here."
Senior Emily White
On her beam performance and her mental prep:
"There was a fall earlier in the lineup, which is always a little bit more stressful of a situation. But the two routines that went up after the fall really were solid and stopped the bleeding and I just felt confident. I've done this routine a million times, it's just the same thing. And being at home too, it's just like a sense of comfort. This is my home, this is my spot. So that's kind of what was going through my mind. And just like Hannah said, I've been doing great routines the whole week, so I kind of just let my body take over and blocked out the noise."
On the energy in the crowd:
"Yeah, there was great energy today. There was a really good turnout. I think that helped us a lot because we've been focusing on things like the fire and just bringing that competitive energy. So the crowd definitely helped us channel that tonight and it was really fun."
Final Results:
Rotation One: Vault, 49.150
It was all tied up after the first rotation. A strong lead-off 9.850 from senior Jada Mangahas got the first rotation of the meet started for the Sun Devils. Freshman Halle Gregoire followed with a solid 9.800. Scharf had a big stick and earned a 9.850 for ASU. Closing out the vault rotation, Anaya Smith scored a 9.875.
Rotation Two: Bars, 49.150
With back-to-back sticks for White and Clark, they earned the two highest scores for the Sun Devils on bars with a 9.900 for Clark and a 9.875 for White. Mangahas also earned a 9.825 while Gracie Reeves earned a 9.800. The Bruins took the lead following this rotation.
Rotation Three: Beam, 49.025
Sophomore Kayla Lee had a solid lead-off score of 9.825 to start the third rotation. Sticking another landing, Clark earned a 9.850 for the Sun Devils. Closing out the beam rotation, White earned a solid 9.925, the highest score of the event for ASU.
Rotation Four: Floor, 49.250
In the last rotation of the meet, Gregoire earned a 9.875, followed by Kimberly Smith with a 9.850, and White and Lee with a pair of 9.825s. Scharf closed out the meet in Sun Devil fashion with a 9.925, earning the win over the Bruins.
Up Next
The Gym Devils will close out the regular season with the Senior Day meet against Southern Connecticut on Friday, March 15.
Notable Stats
- Arizona State (7-5, 4-3 Pac-12) downed No. 10 UCLA (6-10, 4-3 Pac-12). The Sun Devils were trailing after the second rotation but pulled off the W after a strong fourth rotation, clinching the win. Graduate Hannah Scharf needed at least a 9.700 to seal the win in the anchor spot and she earned a 9.925 on floor, tying her season high.
- This is the third top-10 win for head coach Jay Santos in his career as a Sun Devil. This season, it's the third ranked win (also No. 17 Arizona and No. 25 Southern Utah).
- With the win, Arizona State clinched a winning record for the third-straight season. That is the longest streak since 1997-2001.
- This was the second-straight home meet against UCLA where ASU came away with the win.
- ASU scored at least a 49.000 on all four events, making that seven meets in a row doing so. The vault streak is up to 20 in a row with 49-plus, extending the program record. Additionally, the bars streak is up to 19 in a row, hitting the program record of 19-straight.
- Senior Sarah Clark was the co-event title winner on bars with a 9.900, her fourth score of 9.9 or better this season.
- On beam, Emily White earned a 9.925, winning her first beam event title of the season and tying her season high.
Quotes
Head Coach Jay Santos
Opening Statement
"It was kind of a weird, crazy meet in my opinion. Especially with how it ended and we weren't sure that we were gonna be able to get there with that. I think we gave some stuff away. I think we started really well but then gave some stuff away, and then obviously they (ASU) kept fighting, they didn't give up. Credit to them for not giving up because then they got the opportunity to do what they did and get that win against UCLA, the number 10 team in the country, which is always exciting. I think we have to continue working on cleaning up the performance, cleaning up the gymnastics a little bit. Plenty of stuff to work on, but I am really proud of them, really happy that they were able to stick it out and keep plugging away and come away with a win."
On the last Pac-12 conference meet and the growth throughout the season:
"I think that the gap has just gotten closer and tighter over the last several years in the conference. I think there used to be a little bigger gap between teams and a lot of the teams are a lot closer (in scores). We're all packed in really tight. It really comes down to what happens in the arena that day and who's performing and who's on and who's not. I think that's great for sports. That leads to great, exciting events when you don't know the outcome. We've got so much upperclassman leadership. I think that shows in a meet like this where those middle two rotations weren't going perfect and they didn't just pack it in; they went to floor, did a nice strong job and were able to come away with it. That just shows that they were still fighting, they weren't just going to give in."
On having the alumni there for the alumni meet:
"It was great. It's amazing to bring them back into the program. They had so much success during John (Spini)'s time, so it's great to have them around and bring them back. Even just to have them see a meet like this and show them that we're still doing it. We're still trying to make them proud and hold up that legacy. It's always great when things like that can come together."
Meet-winning routine deserves some celebration ????#GymDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/63BCx8YohC
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) March 9, 2024
Graduate Hannah Scharf
On her floor routine:
"I didn't know that I had to do a really good routine, I thought we had already won. I had heard the crowd but I didn't see the other girl fall, I just thought, 'Oh we won.' But, I wasn't thinking too much during my routine, so I just kinda let it flow and let my body take over. So it felt really good."
On her feelings heading into senior night:
"It's sad for me because I know it's my last one, but I really enjoyed my five years here and I feel like I've taken every opportunity I can to just enjoy the experience. I knew it was coming to an end eventually, but it's definitely gonna be sad because it's finally here."
Senior Emily White
On her beam performance and her mental prep:
"There was a fall earlier in the lineup, which is always a little bit more stressful of a situation. But the two routines that went up after the fall really were solid and stopped the bleeding and I just felt confident. I've done this routine a million times, it's just the same thing. And being at home too, it's just like a sense of comfort. This is my home, this is my spot. So that's kind of what was going through my mind. And just like Hannah said, I've been doing great routines the whole week, so I kind of just let my body take over and blocked out the noise."
On the energy in the crowd:
"Yeah, there was great energy today. There was a really good turnout. I think that helped us a lot because we've been focusing on things like the fire and just bringing that competitive energy. So the crowd definitely helped us channel that tonight and it was really fun."
Final Results:
- Arizona State, 196.625
- UCLA, 196.325
Rotation One: Vault, 49.150
It was all tied up after the first rotation. A strong lead-off 9.850 from senior Jada Mangahas got the first rotation of the meet started for the Sun Devils. Freshman Halle Gregoire followed with a solid 9.800. Scharf had a big stick and earned a 9.850 for ASU. Closing out the vault rotation, Anaya Smith scored a 9.875.
Rotation Two: Bars, 49.150
With back-to-back sticks for White and Clark, they earned the two highest scores for the Sun Devils on bars with a 9.900 for Clark and a 9.875 for White. Mangahas also earned a 9.825 while Gracie Reeves earned a 9.800. The Bruins took the lead following this rotation.
9??.9??0??0?? for our bars queen @saarahclark ??#GymDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/hoOOFLnQZE
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) March 9, 2024
Rotation Three: Beam, 49.025
Sophomore Kayla Lee had a solid lead-off score of 9.825 to start the third rotation. Sticking another landing, Clark earned a 9.850 for the Sun Devils. Closing out the beam rotation, White earned a solid 9.925, the highest score of the event for ASU.
HUGE beam routine from Emily White?? She gets a 9??.9??2??5?? to tie her season high! ??
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) March 9, 2024
??: Pac-12 Network (https://t.co/ecH2IsZHqr)#GymDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/DqtDPLq7SA
Rotation Four: Floor, 49.250
In the last rotation of the meet, Gregoire earned a 9.875, followed by Kimberly Smith with a 9.850, and White and Lee with a pair of 9.825s. Scharf closed out the meet in Sun Devil fashion with a 9.925, earning the win over the Bruins.
CLUTCH FROM HANNAH SCHARF. 9??.9??2??5?? FOR THE WIN??
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) March 9, 2024
??: Pac-12 Network (https://t.co/ecH2IsZHqr)#GymDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/BYSkpNoQkP
Up Next
The Gym Devils will close out the regular season with the Senior Day meet against Southern Connecticut on Friday, March 15.