SEATTLE – Tallying the program's highest regional championship score since 2016, No. 29 Stanford beat No. 35 San José State 196.425-195.150 in round one of the 2022 NCAA Regional Championships on Wednesday.
Freshman Anapaula Gutierrez earned the meet's all-around victory, totaling a 39.225 led by 9.85 scores on both vault and floor. Super senior Kyla Bryant secured the vault win with a 9.900 performance in the Cardinal's anchor spot, junior Chloe Widner won the beam title with a 9.900, and senior Taylor Lawson brought home a share of the floor title with a 9.900.
After a delay to the start of the meet due to an equipment issue with the vault runway, the Cardinal began its day on vault. Stanford earned a team score of 49.125 led by four scores of 9.80-or-better from Bryant, Gutierrez, super senior Lauren Navarro, and senior Madison Brunette. After one rotation, the Spartans held a small lead after earning a bars team score of 49.150.
And our ANCHOR Kyla Bryant making a statement with a 9.900!
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordWGym) March 30, 2022
Watch Live: https://t.co/oiDL6sUF7A#FlipTheScript | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/H1ZqfFrIpk
Stanford then went to bars where the team saw five scores of 9.70-or-better, including a 9.85 effort from Bryant and 9.800 performances from senior Grace Waguespack and freshman Brenna Neault. After the second rotation, the Cardinal took over the lead of the meet, 98.075-98.050.
After two rotations ??#FlipTheScript | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/jE8t5SBOCa
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordWGym) March 30, 2022
The Cardinal went to the beam for its third rotation of the night, fighting back from a fall in the first spot to earn a team score of 49.100. Widner's event-winning score of 9.90 led the way, rounded out by 9.80-or-better efforts from Bryant, Neault, and Gutierrez. The Spartans had a strong rotation on floor and edged the Cardinal by .100 heading into the final event of the evening.
Brenna ends her routine with this BEAUTIFUL stick and goes 9.825! ??#FlipTheScript | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/Yc7qkkDSQW
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordWGym) March 30, 2022
Chloe closes us out with a 9.900!
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordWGym) March 30, 2022
Watch live: https://t.co/oiDL6sUF7A#FlipTheScript | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/hLXtabmjpx
Stanford stole the show in its final event of the meet, totaling a meet-best team score of 49.250 on floor. Neault opened the rotation with a 9.825 and was followed by back-to-back scores of 9.850 from Brunette and Gutierrez. Lawson made a statement in the fifth spot with her 9.90, and junior Addie Stonecipher seized the moment of the last-minute lineup switch, anchoring the event with a 9.825.
How about a 9.90 for our floor QUEEN Taylor?
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordWGym) March 31, 2022
Watch Live: https://t.co/bbCWigWjzT#FlipTheScript | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/pNwChBbyZl
With the win, the Cardinal moves on in the regionals bracket and will compete in the semifinals evening session on Thursday, meeting No. 4 Utah, No. 13 Oregon State, and No. 19 Illinois inside Alaska Airlines Arena at 7 p.m. The top two teams from each of the semifinals sessions will move onto the regional finals meet, scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m.