DAVIS, Calif. - Alaska Anchorage freshman Morgan
Cook placed third in the all-around Saturday but the Seawolves could not
overcome a rough night on bars and beam as they finished fourth at the Mountain
Pacific Sports Federation Championships at The Pavilion.
Host UC Davis won its third straight title with 193.675 points, outdistancing
runner-up Seattle Pacific (191.150), Air Force (189.125) and UAA (188.300).
The Seawolves, who had scored 190 or more in their last three meets, also got a
fine individual effort from senior Kaelei Spoor in her final collegiate meet.
The Rome, N.Y., native had UAA's highest placing of the evening with a
team-season-high 9.825 on floor exercise to tie for third place, while matching
senior teammate Kathleen Mantell's 9.8 on balance beam as the pair tied for
fourth on that event.
Cook recorded a 9.75 on beam, but the other three Seawolves suffered falls, and
UAA could not catch Air Force for third in the team standings.
Cook, from Hot Springs, Ark., finished with a 38.075 all-around to surpass the
38-point mark for the second straight meet and finish third among seven
competitors. Her performance may have clinched an at-large spot in the Apr. 7
NCAA Div. I West Regional Championships in Seattle, however that official
announcement will not be made until later in the week.
"Tonight we didn't have the consistency that we'd been showing in our recent
performances," said UAA head coach Paul Stoklos. "Hopefully our younger
gymnasts will take tonight's performance as a learning experience and be all
the more prepared next time they are competing in a championship setting. I'm
happy for Kaelei that she got to end her career on a high note, however, and
I'm proud of our team for overcoming a lot of injuries and adversity this
year."
Senior Shakea Sanders, also competing in her final collegiate meet, scored a
team-high 9.65 on vault, while sophomore Emily Petersen (9.5) and freshman
Paige Pirie (career-high 9.45) led the Seawolves on bars.
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