University of Missouri
Arizona State
Tigers Beat the Heat at Arizona State
1/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Jan. 16, 2009
Tempe, Ariz. - It came down to the final rotation, but the Tigers proved they could take the heat and came out on top of the Arizona State Sun Devils, 194.725 to 194.475.
Junior Sarah Shire (Columbia, Mo.) took her second straight win in the all-around with a score of 39.350. Her performances were the strongest of the night for the Tigers, including a career-best score of 9.925 on the balance beam. Shire tied her career high last week against Iowa State en route to being named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week.
The Tigers trailed during the first three rotations, but eventually came out on top with a 48.8 on beam to beat out the Sun Devils' 47.875 on the floor.
Missouri got the night started on the uneven bars. Junior Becky Scholle (Chesterfield, Mo.) led the night off for second week in a row, posting a 9.700. The event also marked the 2009 debut of junior Liz Straatmann (Blue Springs, Mo.), who contributed a solid routine and a 9.550. Shire took the event crown with a strong performance, resulting in a 9.775. Senior Adrianne Perry (Columbia, Mo.) added a 9.25 to the tally, while senior Alicia Hatcher (Blue Springs, Mo.) posted the Tigers' second-highest score on the event with a strong routine and a 9.750.
The Tigers then headed to the vault trailing by about eight-tenths of a point after the Sun Devils posted a 48.825 in the first rotation. But that wouldn't scare the Tigers, as Missouri absolutely lit up the vault for a team total of 49.175. Sophomore Lauren Stephenson (Kansas City, Mo.) started the Tigers on the right foot with a 9.800 -- matching her career best set last year against Illinois-Chicago. Freshman Mary Burke (Inverness, Ill.) followed one better, with a 9.825. But the Tigers' last trio made the statement on the event -- sophomore Alex Gold (Plano, Texas) Perry and Shire each notched a 9.850 to propel Missouri. Gold's score matched her career high, which she hit twice in 2008.
But Missouri's best was matched nearly point-for-point by Arizona State, who posted a 48.925 on vault to retain the lead.
Trailing by just over half a point, Missouri needed a string of strong performances to catch the Sun Devils. Hatcher started the event for the Tigers, posting a big start with a 9.750, which matched her career high. Gold followed with another strong performance, and a 9.725, while junior Danielle Guider (Nutley, N.J.) followed with a 9.625. Next were the all-arounders. Shire got the arena going with a sparking performance, resulting in a clutch 9.800. But the key performance on the event came from Perry, who looked at ease in her 9.825
Arizona State continued to bring the heat, notching a 48.85 on the balance beam to just lead the score 146.600 to 145.925.
Missouri knew the stakes headed into the final rotation and the balance beam, and brought some of the highest scores of the night. Burke scored a 9.450. Guider followed with a 9.775 to up the Tigers' momentum, while Hatcher pushed Missouri upward, scoring a stellar 9.875. The event just kept going up for the Tigers -- Shire outid her strongest event from last week -- posting a 9.925, a new career high. Perry finished the event on a strong note for the Tigers, scoring a 9.775 to put the Tigers score at 194.725.
With the win, the Tigers are now 2-0 on the season, and 3-0-1 all-time against the Sun Devils.
Missouri will face Big 12 rival Nebraska in their home-opener at 6:30 p.m. next Friday, Jan. 23. The meet is designated as the fifth-annual "Pink Out" -- a portion of the admissions proceeds will go to the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, and fans are encouraged to wear pink.
