Seawolves Hit Season High

3/2/2011 12:00:00 AM

March 2, 2011

ALASKA-ANCHORAGE junior Kelsey Fullerton posted a career-best vault (9.80) last Thursday in Mount Pleasant, MI, also the 18th best vault in UAA history and tying the top team score in 2011. Kaelei Spoor recorded a pair of 9.625's on vault on floor. Sunday at Michigan State, the Seawolves posted a season-high of 190.525. Emily Petersen hit a 9.775 on bars and Maria Puricelli a 9.70 to lead the fourth-best team score in UAA history on that event (48.400). The Seawolves are back in action for their home openers, Mar. 11 and 13, facing Centenary twice.

AIR FORCE freshman Katie Hawthorne's collegiate debut on the uneven bars was a success last Friday, posting a winning 9.675 for her first title. The Academy escaped Seattle Pacific with a 188.475-188.275 dual win. Samantha Jones, Jessica Hanner, and Linnaea Hance all shared third on bars (9.575). Jones and Brittany Dutton tied for second on vault (9.65). Hanner's 9.60 on beam was good enough for second place, while Dutton's 37.550 stole the all-around show. The Falcons host Eastern Michigan for a pair of dual meets this week, Wednesday (Mar. 2) and Saturday (Mar. 5).

UC DAVIS was led by Marcy Miller in the all-around (38.625) and Michelle Ho on floor (9.80) at Friday's quad meet in Corvallis, OR. Host Oregon State won the meet (196.675), followed by Washington (195.725), San Jose State (193.050), and the Aggies (192.975). Miller's total was good for fifth place, while Ho's mark was the best for the Aggies on the evening. Erika Van Dyke and Anna Shumaker shared a fifth place outcome in a five-way tie on beam (9.75). UC Davis hosts MPSF Opponent Seattle Pacific in a dual Friday (Mar. 4).

SEATTLE PACIFIC won three of four events at home last Friday against Air Force, highlighted by Corrine Wise' career beam (9.75) for a top finish. In her final home meet, Bri Steigauf led the top four spots on floor (9.725), all from SPU. Junior Sherah Veron vaulted to a title mark of 9.675 with Sam Taylor taking second (9.625). Veron added a second place floor (9.675), while Stephanie Wagner and Aditi Kulkarni shared the bronze in that event (9.65). The Falcons travel to UC Davis Friday.

MARIA PURICELLI MPSF GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Alaska-Anchorage senior Maria Puricelli (Chesterfield, MO) scored a 9.6 plus on five of her six routines last week as the Seawolves competed at Midwest contenders Central Michigan and Michigan State. At MSU, she was right near her career-highs on bars (9.7) and floor (9.625), while also scoring a 9.6 on vault. Her bars routine at MSU helped UAA post the fourth-best team bars score in school history (48.400), while her floor routine also helped UAA to a season-high score on that Nominated: Anna Shumaker (UCD)