Jan. 13, 2007
Complete Results
DENVER - Four different gymnasts won event titles and senior Heather Huffaker (DeSoto, Texas) won the all-around title as the University of Denver gymnastics team defeated Air Force 195.375 - 179.250 Saturday night in front of 1,137 fans in Hamilton Gymnasium. The win improves DU's season record to 2-4 on the season.
Huffaker tied for the vault title with teammate Casey Dobyns (Woodinville, Wash.) as both posted scores of 9.875, season-highs for both. The Pioneers took each of the first six places on the event, as junior Courtney Butler (Naperville, Ill.) was third with a 9.8 and freshman Kelley Hennigan (The Woodlands, Texas) finished fourth with a career-high 9.75.
On uneven bars, sophomore Jessica Lopez (Caracas, Venezuela) won her second consecutive uneven bars title with a 9.925 as DU posted a team score of 48.800. Butler finished second in the meet with a 9.825 and junior Sasha Sullivan (Glen Allen, Va.) tied her career-best with a 9.775 to finish third.
On balance beam, the Pioneers had their finest performance of the season, posting a team score of 49.000 as three gymnasts had scores of 9.825 or better. Sophomore Nikki Brown (Louisville, Ky.) won her sixth career title and first of 2007 with a career-high 9.925 and fellow sophomore Lauren Garan (Cos Cob, Conn.) finished second with a 9.85. Huffaker finished third at 9.825.
DU's final event was floor exercise, and Sullivan picked up where she left off last season by winning her first event title of the 2007 season with a 9.925. She was the lone gymnast in the meet to go above a 9.9 on floor exercise Saturday night. Finishing in second place with a 9.85 was Huffaker, and she was followed by Lopez's 9.825.
DU defeated Air Force for the 38th consecutive time.
"It was nice to perform well in our first home competition," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "I thought we had some good performances and it gave us a good opportunity to see where we need to improve going forward. I'm pleased with our performance."
DU is next in action next Saturday, Jan. 13 when the Pioneers host Air Force at 6 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.
