For the first time since she became an Arizona gymnast, senior Aubrey Kelly will be left at home as her team travels to compete against California.
Kelly is still on crutches after breaking her foot in practice Feb. 12, and although she was able to cheer from the sidelines for No. 17 Arizona (5-2, 3-2 Pacific 10 Conference) at meets against Stanford Feb. 16 and ASU Feb. 23, she won’t be able to attend away meets while she’s out of the lineup.
“”This will be the first meet I’ve ever missed, so it’s kind of hard,””
Kelly said. “”But I think everybody else will step up and just do as well as we’ve been doing at home to make up for whatever lack they have.””
Kelly said she has been especially impressed with redshirt freshman Sarah Specht, who replaced her as the last gymnast in the bar lineup. Specht finished in a three-way tie for third place in last week’s meet against ASU, scoring a 9.750.
“”I’m so proud of Specht for stepping up,”” Kelly said. “”Even as a senior that’s a hard position to be put in … and she’s a freshman, so for her to step up like that was very admirable.””
At this point in the season, rankings are determined by each team’s top six scores, including a minimum of three away scores.
Arizona’s ranking still reflects a season-low score of 193.075 Jan. 21 at UCLA, and the team will have to better that score to go up in the rankings. Arizona averages a 195.064 score per meet.
“”We’ve only had two meets out of seven that we haven’t counted a fall,”” said UA head coach Bill Ryden. “”If we had those falls back, we’d be ranked closer in to the top 10 right now.””
Sophomore Briana Bergeson said the team could benefit from the pressure of being on the road again.
“”Being at home, we get so comfortable and think we’re going to get the scores no matter what,”” she said. “”Us being away will be more of a reality check, and it’ll be good because we want to step it up.””
Ryden said his team’s main task is to stay focused no matter who the competition is.
“”We have to keep our focus on us,”” he said. “”If we even notice who else is on the floor, we’re probably not paying enough attention on us.
“”We’re going to California with a mission, and it has nothing to do with Cal, it has nothing to do with the people who aren’t there. … It’s us being about us this week.””
