DAVIS, Ca.-Alison Siegel scored a 9.8 on floor exercise and Erin Kawasaki and Kim Carey swung 9.725 on the uneven bars as Seattle Pacific University tallied a team total 192.050 to finish in third place at the USA Gymnastics national championships in Davis, California, Friday night.

Air Force Academy took home top honors with a 192.825 and host Davis won silver with a 192.400. Defending champion, Texas Woman's, finished fourth (191.750) to round out the finalists.

The Falcons' 192.050 registered at No. 8 on the school's all time team totals chart and the tally was the highest for Seattle Pacific in the last month. It was also the ninth score above 191.000 sustained during the 2001 season.

SPU Head Coach Laurel Tindall described the tension during the team championship as very high.

"It was a tight battle all night long. Nobody knew who was ahead. I'm very happy with our meet. All in all, our athletes just performed awesome."

Less than 1.1 points separated all four competing squads.

"After starting so poorly last night (during prelims) on beam," said Tindall, "I was worried. Tonight, we opened on beam and totally nailed it."

Cassie Althauser (Sr., Centralia, Wa.) flipped the 6-inch-wide beam for a 9.700 to lead the Falcons during the first rotation. Siegel (Jr., Oakland, Ca.) followed with a 9.650.

Siegel scored above a 9.650 on each event in the meet, including a 9.8 on floor exercise. The junior ended the night with a 38.775 all-around score. Siegel will compete in tomorrow night's individual finals on vault along with teammate Missy McLaughlin (Federal Way, Wa.). Kim Carey (Sr., Everett, Wa.) will swing the uneven bars.

Both Siegel and Carey already have All-America honors under their belts. Siegel finished runner-up on the balance beam and in the all-around as a freshman. Siegel leads the nation in vault average in 2001 and is a favorite to win a title. Carey earned All-America status on vault and floor as a freshman.

Official start time for the women's individual finals are 1:00.

TEAM SCORES:
1, AFA, 192.825; 2, UCD, 192.400; 3, SPU, 192.050; 4, TWU, 191.750.