Buffered by a season-high team beam score, No. 17 Arizona posted its highest away score of the season Friday to defeat California 196.100-193.750 in Berkeley, Calif.
Several Arizona gymnasts earned career-high scores in the win, and junior Karin Wurm matched her season-high all-around score for her fourth all-around title of the season.
After recording a few falls in each of their last two meets, the Gymcats hit every routine without any falls Friday.
Being away from home may have helped the team’s concentration, said Arizona head coach Bill Ryden.
“”We didn’t have that fan support to feed off of, but that may have helped direct our focus,”” he said. “”It was a team effort from beginning to end.””
Arizona started on bars, where Wurm’s 9.900 earned her first place. Freshman Brittney Morgan scored a career-high 9.825 to take third place after Cal’s Lydia Williams.
Vault was the only event not won by an Arizona gymnast, as Cal’s Bridgette Glass took first place with a 9.875, but Morgan took second (9.850) and Wurm tied for third with redshirt freshman Sarah Specht (9.825), who recorded a career high.
On floor, Specht and junior Danielle Hicks shared first place with Cal gymnasts Isabel Garcia and Jessica Kelley, as all four earned 9.850s.
Friday was Specht’s first time competing in the floor lineup for Arizona, and her performance had Ryden “”super-pumped,”” Specht said.
“”I think that he was glad he decided to put me in,”” she said. “”I’m glad that they did. It gave me an opportunity to really show how I could do my routine.””
Wurm and senior Jamie Holton tied for fifth on floor with 9.800s.
Arizona finished on beam, where the team made up for falls in the last two meets by recording a 49.150. Sophomore Briana Bergeson took first place with a career-high 9.950 in what Wurm called “”the most amazing beam routine I ever saw.””
“”It was to-a-‘T’ gorgeous,”” Wurm said. “”I literally got goose bumps during it because everything she did, she didn’t hold back at all. She went 100 percent for it … and she got the score she deserved.””
Bergeson was followed by Glass (9.900) and Hicks (9.850). Wurm also set a new season high with a 9.775. No Arizona gymnast scored lower than 9.750 on beam.
In the all-around, Morgan earned her second-highest all-around total of 39.200 to take second place, followed by Cal’s Siobhan Luce (39.075). UA freshman Miranda Russell earned fourth place (38.900).
