DAVIS, Ca.-Alison Siegel finished fourth in the all-around competition as Seattle Pacific University rebounded from a poor opening event score on the balance beam to qualify for team finals in the USA Gymnastics National Championships, finishing fourth in preliminaries Thursday night at Recreation Hall with a 189.700 team score.

The second seeded Falcons found themselves in eighth place after the first rotation on balance beam.

Head Coach Laurel Tindall said, "We dug a deep hole at the start. We were in last place but were able to pick ourselves back up and make the finals."

Seattle Pacific will compete against top seeded and first place Air Force (192.200), Texas Women's (190.175) and host UC Davis (190.625) tomorrow night in the women's team finals.

Siegel (Jr., Oakland, Ca.) ended the night with a 38.125 in the all-around competition and by virtue of her fourth place finish, earned All-America status for the third time in her career. Siegel was runner-up in the all-around and on the balance beam as a freshman.

Siegel and Missy McLaughlin (Jr., Federal Way, Wa.) vaulted scores high enough to take both to individual finals Saturday night and Kim Carey (Sr., Everett, Wa.) qualified for individual finals on the uneven bars.

Seattle Pacific has won three national championships and has qualified for the USA Gymnastics national meet the last 19 years in a row.

The Falcons will tumble off for first place in the team finals tomorrow night (Friday). Official start time is scheduled for 7:00.

USA Gymnastics Nationals preliminary team scores (Advancing to team finals on Friday night at 7:00):
1, Air Force Academy, 192.200; 2, University of California at Davis, 190.625; 3, Texas Woman's University 190.175; 4, Seattle Pacific University 189.700.