Sun Devils roll on without Harris, beat up on visiting Buckeyes

 by Sarah McLellan
 published on Monday, March 17, 2008

Deanna Dent / THE STATE PRESS

SWINGING SPLITS: Junior Tia Orlando performs on the bars during a meet against Boise State March 7.

Nothing has come easy for the ASU gymnastics team this season.

Injuries, youth and inexperience, along with the resignation of junior Nicole Harris, have all been obstacles ASU has had to plow through in a season in which the Sun Devils are working to earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships after missing the 2007 meet for just the second time in school history.

ASU's cause and morale received a boost Friday night as the No. 22 Sun Devils defeated No. 30 Ohio State 196.175-194.15.

The competition was the ASU's last home meet and its first win at Wells Fargo Arena this season.

"It was a great feeling," junior Tia Orlando said of snapping the winless streak at home. "We knew right after vault we were on today."

The win was ASU's second without Harris, who officially departed from the team March 5.

"I was really pleased to see the team build up some confidence," said coach John Spini. "We're drilling confidence, especially confidence in each other."

ASU swept the all-around with freshman Francesca Mercurio taking top spot with a score of 39.25. Junior Tiana Jean finished second after earning a 39.225 and was followed by freshman Beaté Jones, who scored a 39.075.

"I thought we were very clean and tight," Spini said.

The Sun Devils started on vault, earning a team score of 49.0 to tie the Buckeyes in the event.

Jones posted a 9.9 after sticking her landing to lead ASU in the event. Mercurio scored a 9.875, and junior Ashlee Hinkle added a 9.8.

ASU had a rough start on bars with a fall by freshman Mary Atkinson, but the Sun Devils rallied after Atkinson's routine to compile a score of 48.8.

Jean earned a 9.825, and Orlando tied a career-best 9.85 as the Sun Devils beat Ohio State's score of 48.2.

Jean and Orlando's success on bars carried over to beam as both tied career-highs to help the Sun Devils reach their highest beam score of the season at 49.225.

Jean's routine earned her a 9.9; it was the second meet in a row where she's earned the near-perfect score on beam.

The Sun Devils decisively won the event over the visiting Buckeyes, who had a team score of 48.075.

Heading into the final rotation, ASU had a slight edge over Ohio State and needed a quality floor result to seal the victory. The Sun Devils earned the mark that they needed, posting their second-highest floor score of the season, 49.150, to trump the Buckeye's score of 48.875.

Freshmen Brittany Schuett, Jones and Hinkle all recorded scores of 9.825. The highlight of the event was the final performance by Orlando, who was competing in the floor exercise for the first time since her freshman campaign.

Orlando tied for the lead in the event with a score of 9.875, a career-best, after only briefly practicing the routine.

"Floor has always been one of my best events," said Orlando, who won the event at the 2003 Pan American Games.

ASU's win comes after the team finished third in a tri-meet with Boise State and Penn State March 7 at home.

Reach the reporter at: sarah.mclellan@asu.edu.