Sports

UAA gymnasts impressive in loss

That it came in defeat hardly mattered. The UAA gymnastics team on Sunday posted the third-highest team score in program history, scoring 192.85 points in a loss to Eastern Michigan at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The score was more than two points above the Seawolves' season average coming into the meet.

The performance included victories on the vault by Marie-Sophie Boggasch (9.875 points) and on bars by Emily Peterson (9.775), plus a 2-3-4-5 showing in balance beam and a season-high effort in floor exercise, the event the Seawolves have struggled with most this season.

"I think we are showing a lot more consistency in our last couple meets, especially on floor," UAA coach Paul Stoklos said in a release from the university. "Marie-Sophie's vault was amazing, Emily Petersen kept scoring well on her beam and bars routines, and everyone else stepped up to do their jobs."

A pair of freshmen shined in the all-around for the Seawolves. Simone Penker scored 38.45 and Matsunami 38.425 in an all-freshman competition that was won by Eastern Michigan rookie Kahdijah Hudson (38.6).

Five freshmen competed for the Seawolves in their final home meet of the season, but one of the big moments belonged to veteran Petersen, a junior who earned her sixth individual victory of the season.

UAA's best team score came in 2004 when the Seawolves posted 193.75; in 2009, they racked up 193.0.

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Eastern Michigan 193.350, UAA 192.850

Vault -- 1) tie, Marie-Sophie Boggasch, UAA, and Anna Willette, EMU, 9.875; 3) Khadijah Hudson, EMU, 9.800; 4) Morgan Cook, UAA, 9.750; 5) tie, M'rcy Matsunami, UAA, and Paulina Miller, EMU, 9.725.

Uneven parallel bars -- 1) Emily Petersen, UAA, 9.775; 2) Anna Willette, EMU, 9.750; 3) Khadijah Hudson, EMU, 9.725; 4) Carrina Lo Bello, EMU, 9.700; 5) Ashley Quinton, EMU, 9.675; 6) M'rcy Matsunami, UAA, 9.625.

Balance beam -- 1) Anna Willette, EMU, 9.825; 2) Morgan Cook, UAA, 9.775; 2) Emily Petersen, UAA, 9.775; 4) Simone Penker, UAA, 9.750; 5) tie, Nicole Wetzel, UAA, and Brittany Cassar, EMU, 9.700.

Floor exercise -- 1) Khadijah Hudson, EMU, 9.850; 2) Amanda Fuller, EMU, 9.800; 3) Kristina Kurkimilis, EMU, 9.750; 4) Chantelle Loehner, EMU, 9.725; 5) tie, Morgan Cook, UAA, and Paulina Miller, EMU, 9.600.

All-around -- 1) Khadijah Hudson, EMU, 38.600; 2) Simone Penker, UAA, 38.450; 3) M'rcy Matsunami, UAA, 38.425.

Anchorage Daily News

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