April 16, 2009
Final All-Around Results in PDF Format <="">
Individual Event Rotation Order in PDF Format <="">LINCOLN, Neb. - Through 24 routines and 3½ hours, the Stanford women's gymnastics team finished 0.075 of a point short of a third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Super Six finals.
The Cardinal was edged out of the third and final qualifying spot by LSU on the final rotation at the afternoon session of the team preliminary round at the Devaney Center on Thursday.
Stanford's season will conclude Saturday when senior Nicole Ourada (fourth, 9.875) and junior Carly Janiga (second, 9.9) compete in the individual event finals in the uneven bars. Each earned first-team All-America honors in the event and qualified by finishing among the top four in the session.
"They were such a joy to work with all year," Stanford coach Kristen Smyth said. "They brought a lunch-pail attitude every day. They worked and worked and worked, and got better and better and better. They surprised many people. I'm so proud of them."
Stanford officially placed eighth as a team, after scores from the two sessions were combined, marking the team's third consecutive top-10 finish.
Stanford seemed in good position to advance going into the final rotation. Kelly Fee, in leadoff position, rolled an ankle late in her routine and could not continue. With no room for error, the five remaining Stanford gymnasts stuck their routines, combining for a score of 48.95.
Shelley Alexander, who barely missed her first All-America honors, with a 9.875 for 10th, got the team refocused after Fee's injury, scoring a 9.75, and Ourada closed it out with a 9.85, which seemed to be enough.
However, LSU literally vaulted past on its final event, scoring a 49.45 on the vault with a pair of 9.95s to make up ground, and more.
"It was a tough a session," Smyth said of the group that was won by four-time defending champion .Georgia. "There were a lot of great gymnasts in this session. We really couldn't open the door.
"We fought for everything, covered each other well. But there were a few little errors here and there. And it comes down to those little tiny things at the end of the day, and we came up a little short."
When it was done, three teams - Florida, LSU and Stanford - finished within 0.15 of each other for places second through fourth, with only Stanford uninvited to the Super Six party.
Stanford put together solid performances throughout the lineup and never had to count a big mistake, of which there were few. However, Stanford also didn't have the big scores to enhance its scoring potential and had enough minor mistakes to keep its scores down.
After the second session, the Super Six lineup was determined. UCLA finished tied for the third and final spot with Utah, but was squeezed out by a tiebreaker, in which all six scores are included for each team. Oregon State finished fifth in the session, leaving the Super Six without a Pac-10 team.
"It was a great group," Smyth said. "They poured everything they had into this, as well as my coaching staff. We had a long way to go, and they came a long way, upgrading their skills, learning new things. And, with athletes like Shelley Alexander and Dani Ikoma, who blossomed this year, we'll do well in the future. And the experience they gained will be invaluable."
Stanford's first team All-Americans: Carly Janiga (bars), Nicole Ourada (bars). NOTE: Each qualifies for Saturday's Individual Event Finals (4 p.m.).
Second-team All-Americans: Janiga (all-around), Ourada (floor).
Session I Final results (Winners and Stanford results)
Team scores, Session I (top three advance to Super Six): 1, Georgia 197.45; 2, Florida 196.375; 3, LSU 196.3; 4, Stanford 196.225; 5, Penn State 196.1; 6, Oklahoma 195.825.
All-around (event final): 1, Courtney Kupets (Georgia) 39.8. Also, 24, Carly Janiga 39.250; 34, Nicole Ourada 39.100.
Vault
Team results: 1, LSU 49.45; 2, Georgia 49.3; 3, Stanford 49.125; 4, Penn State 49.1; 5, Oklahoma 49.05; 6, Florida 48.9.
Individuals: 1t, Susan Jackson (LSU), Ashleigh Clare-Kearney (LSU), each 9.95. Also, Shelley Alexander 9.875, Nicole Ourada 9.85, Blair Ryland 9.8, Danielle Ikoma 9.8, Carly Janiga 9.8, Allyse Ishino 9.75.
Uneven bars
Teams: 1, Georgia 49.375; 2, Stanford 49.175; 3, Florida 49.15; 4, LSU 49.125; 5, Penn State 49.075; 6, Oklahoma 48.675.
Individuals: 1, Courtney Kupets (Georgia) 9.95. Also, Carly Janiga 9.9, Nicole Ourada 9.875, Nicole Pechanec 9.825, Kelly Fee 9.8, Shelley Alexander 9.775, Allyse Ishino 9.75.
Balance beam
Teams: 1, Georgia 49.55; 2, Florida 49.275; 3, Oklahoma 49.125; 4, Stanford 48.975; 5, Penn State 48.9; 6, LSU 48.525.
Individuals: 1, Courtney Kupets (Georgia) 10.0. Also, Heather Purnell 9.85, Kelly Fee 9.85, Allyse Ishino 9.8, Danielle Ikoma 9.75, Carly Janiga 9.725, Nicole Ourada 9.525.
Floor Exercise
Teams: 1, Georgia 49.225; 2, LSU 49.2; 3, Florida 49.05; 4, Penn State 49.025; 5, Oklahoma 48.975; 6, Stanford 48.95.
Individuals: 1, Courtney Kupets (Georgia) 9.95. Also, Nicole Ourada 9.85, Carly Janiga 9.825, Tenaya West 9.8, Shelley Alexander 9.75, Nicole Pechanec 9.725, Kelly Fee 9.25.
Super Six qualifiers: Georgia, Florida, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Utah.
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