All six Stanford gymnasts hit their floor routines in the final rotation to hold off Washington (2-5, 0-3 Pac-12) and secure a 195.925-195.825 win at home on Sunday. The Stanford women (5-5, 2-1) improved their overall team score for the fourth consecutive week. This was their second dual-meet victory at home in as many weeks.
The Cardinal took a 147.050-146.650 lead in the final rotation but had to dig deep after Washington earned four scores of 9.800 or higher on beam, their strongest event so far this season. Although floor has been Stanford’s weakest event this season, the team showed resilience in their final performances; every gymnast recorded 9.725 or higher to take the win.
Junior Elizabeth Price performed well yet again, claiming individual victories in vault (9.875) and bars (9.950). She has won those two events in all four meets she has competed in this season. Senior sisters Nicolette and Danielle McNair also registered strong meets, tying for second on bars with scores of 9.900.
Rachel Daum tied her season best on floor with a 9.850 to lead the team and tie for second in the meet. Stanford’s freshman class contributed to each event with Aleeza Yu competing on vault for a second consecutive week, placing third with her 9.825.
The Cardinal took control of the meet in the first half, starting confidently on their two best events. The team racked up a score of 49.075 on vault, the fourth time in five meets in which they have broken the 49-point mark. Price and Yu paced the team, while Cole (9.775), Danielle McNair (9.800) and freshman Ashley Tai (9.800) each chipped in with powerful vaulting of their own.
Leading after the first rotation, Stanford took the momentum from vaulting and carried it into bars performances, earning a season-best 49.350. Yu delivered a season-best 9.850 — the freshman has competed bars in every meet this season — showing continued improvement. First and second place finishes on the apparatus for the Cardinal gave the team a commanding lead heading into the second half of competition.
Beam proved a greater challenge for the Cardinal. After a career-high 9.800 from sophomore Taryn Fitzgerald to start the event, Stanford missed its next routine. Not to be defeated, freshmen Cole and Tai rebounded with matching scores of 9.825 to put the team back on track on the way into the final rotation.
On floor, Danielle McNair stayed consistent in the leadoff spot with a 9.725 followed by sophomore Hailee Hoffman (9.775) and Cole (9.750). After Daum’s team-leading 9.850, Tai finished off the meet with a season-best 9.775 to nail down the win.
Stanford will hit the road on Saturday when the team takes on No. 5 UCLA in Los Angeles.
Contact Laura Anderson at lauraand ‘at’ stanford.edu.