Complete Box Score

SEATTLE, Wa. (Jan. 17)—Debra Huss made her college debut with wins on floor exercise and in the all-around competition to boost Seattle Pacific University to its highest opening night score ever, but it was not enough as the Falcons fell to Sacramento State 192.650 to 190.850 in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation women’s gymnastics meet Saturday night at Brougham Pavilion.

Seattle Pacific’s team total (190.850) obliterated the previous opening night record established in 2002 (190.325). That year, the Falcons went on to finish fourth at the Division II national meet. SPU has finished among the top four teams in USA Gymnastics the last twenty years in a row.

A freshman, Huss (Fr., Orangevale, Ca./Bella Vista) danced a 9.900 on floor exercise during the final rotation of the night. The mark rates her third on the school’s all-time list. Huss won the all-around easily with 38.625 and finished in a three-way tie with Sacramento’s Binta Coleman and Trista Condren on beam with 9.725.

The Hornets’ Nirvana Zaher garnered wins on vault (9.8) and beam (9.8) and tied with teammate Tiffany Bass on the latter. Binta Coleman swung a 9.875 to take top honors on the uneven bars.

Seattle Pacific’s Melissa Stanton (Sr., Rapid Ciey, SD/Central/Hamline U) nailed her landing for a share of second place with the Hornets’ Meloney Greer on bars (9.775) and teammate Kari Kelly (Jr., Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) launched a 9.675 vault and flipped a 9.775 on floor to earn second and third on each. Kelly is a returning All-America performer on vault.

The Falcons (0-1) hit the road for a pair of meets in California next week. Thursday night (Jan. 22), SPU tumbles at UC Davis and one night later (Jan. 23) rematches with Sacramento State. Official start time both nights is 7PM.

VAULT: 1) Zaher, SAC, 9.8; 2) Kelly, SPU, 9.675; 3) (tie) Bass, Anderson, SAC, 9.650.

BARS: 1) Coleman, SAC, 9.875; 2) (tie) Stanton, SPU, Greer, SAC, 9.775.

BEAM: 1) (tie) Bass, Zaher, SAC, 9.800; 3) (tie) Huss, SPU, Coleman, Condren, SAC, 9.725.

FLOOR: 1) Huss, SPU, 9.000; 2) Aeder, SAC, 9.875; 3) Kelly, SPU, 9.775.

AA: 1) Huss, SPU, 38.625; McDaniel, SPU, 36.650.