SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Hope Nelson earned the all-around title and fellow junior Isabelle Fox delivered three big scores Sunday to lead Alaska Anchorage to a season-high 192.575 total in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation gymnastics dual-meet loss to Sacramento State at The Hornets' Nest.
The Seawolves got a 38.575 all-around from Nelson, who also topped the beam podium with a 9.85, while Fox placed runner-up on beam and floor with 9.825s, plus third on vault with a 9.725.
The Hornets were led by a 38.350 all-around from Jordyn Brent and three scores of 9.725 or better from Bella Lahmidi to earn their season high at 193.700.
"We came down here with the goal of a season high, and we got it with improved efforts on vault and floor today," said UAA head coach Tanya Ho. "It is awesome to see Hope start to realize her potential to be a valuable all-arounder, and Isabelle seems to be getting stronger as the season goes on. Tere Alonso also was huge today on floor."
Coming off a 192.125 score Friday at San Jose State, the Seawolves started stronger on the first two rotations, producing 48.175 points on uneven bars and a season-high 47.900 on vault. Freshman Kenadi Brown led UAA with a 9.775 on bars, along with a 9.725 from senior Sophia Hyderally and a 9.675 from Nelson. Fox was followed on vault by a 9.6 from Brown and a 9.575 from freshman Mackenzie Robinson.
UAA shaved the meet deficit to less than half a point with a season-best 48.675 on floor exercise in the third rotation, accounting for the 11th-best floor total in program history. Fox led the way by tying her and Brown's UAA season-high at 9.825, while Alonso danced to a career-best 9.8. Brown scored 9.75 and Kennedy Green and Rachel Decious rounded out the counting floor marks with 9.65s.
The Seawolves had a chance to catch the Hornets in the final rotation as they pulled into a virtual tie with four gymnasts left for each team, but UAA suffered two falls on beam and Sacramento State produced five scores of 9.65 or better on floor.
Nelson, who had never competed all-around until this week, equaled the No. 12 beam score in program history with her 9.85, followed by Fox's 9.825 and a 9.725 from Decious. Nelson's victories Sunday pushed her career wins total to six.
UAA's team score of 192.575 surpassed its previous season high of 192.525 (Jan. 18 vs. San Jose State) for the 22nd-best total in program history.
The Seawolves get next week off before taking the main-arena floor at the Alaska Airlines Center on Feb. 28-29 against MPSF rival Seattle Pacific. Surf to AlaskaAirlinesCenter.com for tickets and parking information.
