The No. 25 Arizona gymnastics team picked up its second consecutive Pac-12 Conference victory over the Washington Huskies Saturday night 196.100-195.350 in McKale Center.
“[We] showed a lot of grit throughout the events and they had each other’s backs, especially on bars after Krysten [Howard] had the little mishap to that huge routine from Victoria [Oritz], that was really exciting,” Arizona head coach Tabitha Yim said. “We pushed some difficulties on floor and we added some new people into the lineup and it was really nice to see us put that in and be successful.”
The Think Pink meet was dedicated to those who have been affected by breast cancer as Arizona athletes and coaches handed out pink flowers to the crowd.
Yim said that the meet showcased “female empowerment.” Senior Lexi Mills concluded the meet by talking about female leaders in her life and encouraged fans to find their own inspirations.
The Wildcats began the night on vault with a combined team high of 48.875.Highlighting the event was freshman Lauryn Mattson, who nailed a routine of 9.825.
“I think she does that because ‘I’m pretty confident in myself and no matter what I’m going to make it,’” junior Selynna Felix-Terrazas said. “Every first event has to be like that: ‘They need me and it’s important.’”
Arizona then moved onto bars, where they combined for a team score of 49.050. Junior Gabby Laub had the highest score for the UA with a 9.850. Following close by were senior Lexi Mills and sophomore Ortiz, who each scored 9.825.
“I thought we really showed some grit out there, which was one of our goals,” Shelby Edwards said. “When somebody went down, we were able to have her back which was really great.”
Moving onto beam, the GymCats combined for their highest score of the night with a 49.200. Senior Jessie Sisler managed a high score of 9.875 for Arizona, along with junior Howard, who also hit a 9.875.
To conclude the night, Arizona held its advantage over Washington on floor, where the Wildcats combined for a 48.975. Sophomore Kennady Schneider held the UA high with a 9.850.
Arizona will face No. 1 Oklahoma next on its schedule on Friday, March 4 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners most recently scored above a 198 — one of the highest scores in the nation.
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