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Outback Steakhouse

Seattle Pacific Gymnasts Come From Behind to Defend MPSF Title
March 30, 2007

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SEATTLE (Mar. 30) ­ Behind wins from Debra Huss on floor and Sarah Sullivan on beam, Seattle Pacific University came from behind during the final two events to successfully defend its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation gymnastics championship Friday night at Brougham Pavilion.

2007 All Around Winners

2007 MPSF All-Around Winners (left to right): Runner-up, Sarah Sullivan and champion, Debra Huss, both of Seattle Pacific; Alaska Anchorage's Rachael Lehmkuhl.

The Falcons hit a No. 5 all-time score of 193.050 to edge top-seeded UC Davis, which was runner-up with 192.825. Alaska Anchorage (187.850) and Air Force (185.575) were third and fourth, respectively.

SPU became the first MPSF repeat champion since Sacramento State in 2002-03.

Seattle Pacific surged past UC Davis while on floor and then quickly put the lock on the title by sticking five vaults, punctuated by Kristin Bryant's (Sr., Anchorage, Ak.) 9.825. That mark tied the Aggies' Tanya Ho for first on that event.

Huss (Sr., Orangevale, Ca.) hit the meet's high score, earning a 9.900 on floor, a mark which ties for No. 3 all-time at SPU. Sullivan (Sr., Salem, Or.) won beam with a 9.775. Huss and Sullivan were 1-2 in all-around.

Lida Gehlen of UC Davis finished first on bars (9.825).

"We knew it would be a close meet," SPU coach Laurel Tindall said. "Both top teams scored in excess of 193 points last week. Tonight, we hit."

After a rocky ride on beam, SPU needed a strong floor performance. Beginning with a 9.775 by Brianna Schwartz (So., Bonney Lake, Wa.), the Falcons got a power surge. Sullivan and Bryant posted back-to-back scores of 9.875, followed by the Huss high mark.

"Floor exercise has been strong for us all year and it has great crowd appeal," said Tindall. "We almost always do well."

The Falcons got their second score of 193-plus points in seven days. They had ended the regular season with a record of 193.725 Mar. 23 against Washington.

Seattle Pacific is now idle until hosting the USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships Apr. 19-21.

Team Scoring-1, Seattle Pacific 193.050; 2, UC Davis 192.825; 3, Alaska Anchorage187.850; 4, Air Force 185.575

Vault-1, Kristin Bryant, SPU and Tanya Ho, UCD, 9.825; 2, Carrie Lujan, UCD and Sarah Sullivan, SPU, 9.775

Uneven Bars-1, Lida Gehlen, UCD, 9.825; 2, Ashley Domres, SPU, 9.775; 3, Brandi Forte, UCD, 9.750

Balance Beam-1, Sarah Sullivan, SPU, 9.775; 2, Tanya Ho, UCD, and Michelle Kulovitz, UCD, 9.725

Floor Exercise-1, Debra Huss, SPU, 9.900; 2, Sarah Sullivan, SPU and Kristin Bryant, SPU, 9.875

All-Around-1, Debra Huss, SPU, 38.550; 2, Sarah Sullivan, SPU, 38.475; 3, Rachael Lehmkuhl, 38.100


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