April 4, 2009

Stats 1

Stats 2

Fayetteville, Ark. - The Arizona gymnastics team closed it season with a fourth-place finish in the South Central Regional Saturday night at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, Ark,. They scored a 194.350 and junior Sarah Tomczyk earned a place in the national meet by finishing first on floor.

The Gymcats, making their 23rd straight appearance in the postseason, failed to move on to the national meet because they did not finish in the top two teams. Arizona entered the meet as the No. 4 seed and finished the meet in fourth.

“The team really battled back after a rough start and I’m proud they didn’t give up,” said Arizona head coach Bill Ryden. “The floor team was amazing, but again we left a ton of points out there.”

A bright spot for the team came from Tomczyk, who won the floor event, posting a 9.9 and earned a spot in the national meet April 16-18 in Lincoln, Neb. The junior also finished third on vault with a 9.85.

“Sarah was great tonight,” Ryden said. “She really performed well and it’s exciting she gets to keep competing this season.”

Arizona closed the meet with solid performances on both vault and floor, but dug its self too big a hole to move on.

In what has been their best event of the season, the Gymcats picked up a 49.225 on floor behind the impressive 9.9 from Tomczyk. The team total was the highest of the meet and matched the second highest all season. Tomczyk’s was also her second highest score of the year. Arizona had three other gymnasts record 9.8’s or higher.

Arizona opened the meet on bars, an event that has given it trouble all season, scoring a 48.100. Senior Briana Bergeson posted the team-high score with a 9.75, but no other gymnast scoring above a 9.675. 

The Gymcats’ second event on beam was also a struggle for the team where they recorded a 48.025. Freshman Katie Matusik posted a team-high 9.75 followed closely by sophomore Colleen Fisher’s 9.75 and Bergeson’s 9.7.