Air Force, SPU End Season at USAG Championships
April 16, 2012
MPSF Women's Water Polo Weekly Release - 4/16/12
AIR FORCE Freshman Jessica Wallander posted the Falcons' best finish at the USAG National Championships last Friday in Bridgeport, CT, scoring a career-best matching 9.825 to tie for third on the vault. The Falcons scored 191.075 and had seven top-12 finishes, to place fourth in the team finals. They reached the finals backed by their second highest season score from Thursday's session (192.300). Jessica Hanner scored a 9.725 to finish seventh on beam, while Emily Bucher and Linnaea Hance placed ninth (season-best 9.70) and 10th (9.675), respectively. With an all-around of 38.225, and 14th place finish, Hance competed in the NCAA Salt Lake City Regional on Apr. 7. Hance's best placement came on bars, where she tied for 16th (9.70). She also finished 34th on beam (9.475), 35th on floor (9.55) and 39th on vault (9.50).
SEATTLE PACIFIC competed in its 30th USAG Championship in the last 31 years, scoring 190.800 to finish fourth in the semifinal session. Sherah Veron received a score of 9.825 on floor to tie for third in the individual finals. Stephanie Wagner tied for fifth on beam (9.775) to earn All-American honors. Samantha Taylor and Texie Gregory finished one spot away from advancing on bars, both receiving seventh-place scores of 9.65. SPU compiled a total of 48.850 on floor, the team's second-best score of the season in that event. On the first night, SPU topped the 190-point plateau for the 10th straight meet, extending its longest streak of 190-plus performances since '04.
ALASKA-ANCHORAGE freshman Morgan Cook posted a score of 36.700 in the all-around at the NCAA Division I West Regional in Seattle, WA (Apr. 7). Cook recorded her best efforts on balance beam with a 9.525 and on floor with a 9.475. She was one of five individual all-around qualifiers from non-competing teams. Cook had placed third all-around on Mar. 24 at the MPSF Championships (38.075).
UC DAVIS freshman Tiana Montell finished with a 38.150 total to place 17th overall at the NCAA Regionals in Seattle, WA (Apr. 7). Junior Katie Yamamura scored a 37.150 for 20th place. Montell opened with a 9.50 on vault, matched that score on uneven bars, then hit a 9.70 on beam. She finished the evening with a 9.45 on floor. Yamamura started with a 9.70 on floor in the meet's second rotation. She added a 9.775 on vault. The Aggies accumulated 193.675 on Mar. 24 to claim its third consecutive MPSF Championship, and fourth in the last five years. Montell won the all-around on a career-high (38.725), and Yamamura claimed vault (9.80) and uneven bars (9.725).