Sports

UAA gymnastics meet a showcase for Matsunami, Bryan

A couple of juniors stole the show on Senior Day for the UAA gymnastics team Sunday afternoon at the Alaska Airlines Center.

One of them, junior M'Rcy Matsunami of Omaha, Nebraska, became the second gymnast in school history to hit the 39-point mark in the all-around to help the Seawolves to their best team score of the season and a victory over Centenary College.

But as impressive as Matsunami's score of 39.025 was, the feat accomplished by junior Stefany Bryan of Seattle is perhaps more noteworthy.

Bryan was honored along with senior Morgan Cook at a post-meet ceremony recognizing the team's two gymnasts competing in their final home meet. Bryan earned her Senior Day sendoff a year early -- she will graduate this spring after six semesters instead of the usual eight.

Matsunami and Bryan gave the Seawolves a 1-2 finish on uneven parallel bars, with Matsunami winning with a career-best 9.825 and Bryan finishing second with a career-best 9.8. UAA's Marie-Sophie Boggasch tied for third with 9.75.

The Seawolves enjoyed a 1-2-3 showing in balance beam, where they set a school record for that event with 48.575 points. Freshman Kendra Daniels won with 9.825 points, Matsunami was second with 9.8 and Simone Penker was third with 9.75 -- all career-highs.

The big score in balance beam helped UAA rack up 192.75 points. Centenary also enjoyed a season-high team score, a 191.675.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Ladies of Shreveport, Louisiana, were led by Kellie Slater, who won the vault and shared the floor exercise title with UAA freshman Kallie Randolph, and Allison Scales, who placed second behind Matsunami in the all-around.

Matsunami was coming off a career-high all-around score of 38.950, posted in Friday's win over Centenary. Her Sunday total included a 9.725 in floor and a 9.675 in vault.

Matsunami, who owns four of UAA's top 10 all-time scores in all-around, is the second UAA gymnast in 31 seasons to hit the 39-point barrier. The other is Dominique Ingram, who set the school record of 39.125 at the 2004 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships.

Though Sunday's meet marked UAA's final regular-season home meet, the Seawolves -- including Bryan and Cook -- will compete one last time at the Alaska Airlines Center this season when they host the MPSFC championships on March 21.

UAA 192.75, Centenary 191.675

Vault -- 1) Kellie Slater (CC) 9.725; 2) M'rcy Matsunami (UAA) 9.675; 3) Simone Penker (UAA) 9.650; 4) tie, Marie-Sophie Boggasch (UAA) and Natalie Humbert (CC) 9.625.

Uneven parallel bars -- 1) M'rcy Matsunami (UAA) 9.825; 2) Stefany Bryan UAA) 9.800; 3) tie, Marie-Sophie Boggasch (UAA) and Ashley White (CC) 9.750; 5) tie, Simone Penker (UAA), Noel Stubbs (CC) and Allison Scates (CC) 9.675.

Balance beam -- 1) Kendra Daniels (UAA) 9.825; 2) M'rcy Matsunami (UAA) 9.800; 3) Simone Penker (UAA) 9.750; 4) tie, Sylvia Keiter (CC) and Allison Scates (CC) 9.725.

Floor exercise -- 1) tie, Kallie Randolph (UAA) and Kellie Slater (CC) 9.775; 3) M'rcy Matsunami (UAA) 9.725; 4) Ashley White (CC) 9.700; 5) Morgan Cook (UAA) 9.650.

All-around -- 1) M'rcy Matsunami (UAA) 39.025; 2) Allison Scates (CC) 38.525; 3) Ashley White (CC) 38.275; 4) Simone Penker (UAA) 38.075; 5) Morgan Cook (UAA) 38.050.

ADVERTISEMENT