Return to the nest. After rebounding with a respectable score and showing on the road last week, the Seattle Pacific University gymnastics team makes a welcome return to its home floor in Brougham Pavilion this week for a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation dual contest with Sacramento State (8-7). The Falcons (2-12), ranked No. 2 among USA Gymnastics teams following five weeks in the penthouse, meet the Hornets in the next-to-last home date Saturday night (Mar. 5). Next week, SPU participates in a four-way meet at Boise before returning for Senior Night Mar. 19.

Five-week streak broken. The Falcons slipped one spot in the national ratings as the computations changed from being based upon raw average to the RQS (regional qualifying score) system. Now perched atop the USA Gymnastics division is defending national champion Centenary (La.), which popped for 194.300 points in defeating Texas Woman’s and Air Force last week. Seattle Pacific averages 190.730, followed closely by Rutgers (190.695) and Alaska Anchorage (190.165). Event-wise, the Falcons hold the No. 3 spot on vault and floor. They are fourth and fifth, respectively, on beam and bars.

Enough is enough. Seattle Pacific is still searching for its first home win of the season, but faces a difficult task since it has not beaten Sac State since 2001. Last year, the Falcons were 4-1 at home, with the sole loss coming at the hands of the Hornets. This year, San Jose State edged SPU by 0.350 in the home opener before Oregon State won handily last month.

The Oregon trail. Performing before a crowd of nearly 3,000 at Oregon State did not faze Coach Laurel Tindall’s squad. The host Beavers won the meet handily (195.925), but the Falcons nearly managed to knock off California (190.925), ending the night trailing the Golden Bears by fractions. Oregon State swept the top three individual places in both the vault and floor exercise. In fact, the 13th-ranked Beavers might have swept all four events if not for Cal’s My-Lann Dodd, who tied for first with the Beavers’ Heidi Goehring and Theresa Videan on bars, and finished in a second place knot with Morales on floor. Dodd also took top honors in the all-around contest (39.200).

All-arounders prove mettle. Close on the heels of Dodd was none other than Seattle Pacific’s Debra Huss (So., Orangevale, Ca.). Last week’s MPSF co-gymnast of the week, Huss improved her award-winning all-around total by a quarter of a point at Gill Coliseum, accumulating 38.700 points over four events. Huss hit above 9.700 on three of four events, with the judges’ highest marks coming in the form of a 9.750 on floor exercise. Teammate, classmate and fellow All-American Sarah Sullivan (So., Salem, Or./Sprague) was hot on Huss’ heels, as she piled up 38.175 in front of her nearby hometown crowd. Sullivan’s total was good for a bronze all-around finish. She ranks among the USAG elites on beam, floor, and all-around. Huss continues to be ranked No. 1 on beam, floor and all-around, and she’s third on bars.

Bill of health. With All-American Jaynie Reynolds (Jr., White Rock, B.C./Marriot) still at least a week away from a return, Tindall is being forced to hold tight, particularly in the bars and beam lineups. Reynolds sprained both ankles Feb. 12 and has since missed three meets and more than two weeks of training. She could conceivably earn a spot in the bars lineup at Boise. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Kingsley (Sr., Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison) managed a 9.475 on vault at Corvallis in her first action in three meets. Kingsley, also a fixture on floor throughout her career, has been nagged by knee injuries.

Gym shorts. Kari Kelly (Sr., Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) finished a sixth on vault (9.700) at OSU, leading SPU to a total of 47.725. Only the floor total was better at 48.275. Corvallis was the site of Kelly’s record-setting launch last season. Reynolds broke it earlier this season...Huss is currently ranked No. 3 among those vying for the five at-large all-around spots in the NCAA West Regional next month. Sullivan is now sixth...Corrie McDaniel (Sr., Lawrence, Ks./Lawrence), the last Falcons to earn an all-around regional berth, tumbled a 9.650 on floor exercise. She is currently No. 10 in the USAG on floor...Kristin Bryant (So., Anchorage, Ak./West Anchorage) danced a 9.575 on floor...Christie Chinaka (Fr., Honolulu, Hi.) launched a 9.475 vault and negotiated an identical score on beam...Ashley Domres (Fr., Phoenix, Az./Scottsdale Christian) swung bars, balanced beam and flipped floor, earning marks of 9.300, 9.400 and 9.250...In the MPSF rankings, Huss and Sullivan are running 1-2 in the all-around. Sacramento State (191.269) is the No. 1 team, followed by SPU, Alaska Anchorage and UC Davis.

Tickets, Please. General admission tickets for all SPU women’s gymnastics meets are priced $5, with students, youth and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Teams can qualify for special discount rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaches. Coach Laurel Tindall is a veteran of the sport and is synonymous with the university. Originally, she competed for the Falcons, then replaced her mentor, George Lewis, immediately following graduation. Subsequently, she has served in her position for 30 years. Under her guidance, SPU has won three national championships and, individually, her gymnasts have taken 15 titles. Four times Tindall has been honored as national coach of the year. Kathy Siwek returns for her fifth season as an assistant coach. Siwek was a two-time All-America and a member of the 1997 national championship team. Kristen Strid is back for her second year on the staff after having completing her career in 2003 as a three-time All-America and national champion on bars.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation web site at www.mpsports.org, or the Collegiate Gymnastics Information Center at www.troester.com/gym. .