TEMPE, Ariz. --- Junior Kimiye Narasaki scored 9.800 to win on beam but it was not enough as Sacramento State finished second at the UNO’s Classic on Friday night. Host No. 22 Arizona State won the meet with 193.650. The Hornets finished second with 191.525 while Air Force was third at 183.200.Narasaki, who competed solely on bars last season while recovering from knee surgery, won her second beam title this season. The 9.800 was a season-high for the Richmond, Calif., native and was the third-best score on the team this season.
Arizona State was paced by All-American Ashley Kelly who won the all-around with 39.275. Kelly also finished first on vault (9.825) and bars (9.950). The Sun Devils’ April Boone finished first on floor with a 9.875.
On vault, ASU took swept the top three spots en route to scoring 48.175. Kelly led the way followed by Boone (9.775) and Cassandra Jusino (9.750). Sacramento State received a strong showing, claiming fourth through seventh. Senior Nirvana Zaher was the top finisher with a 9.650. Senior Jessica Hoffman (9.625), senior Meloney Greer (9.575) and freshman Nicole Giao (9.500) rounded out the order. As a team, the Hornets scored 47.775.
Kelly, Jusino (9.875) and Boone (9.725) again finished in the top three on bars. Sacramento State freshman Alexis Tsurumoto finished fourth with a 9.675, marking just the third time this season that she has not won the event. Zaher was fifth with a 9.600 while Narasaki (9.575), Hoffman (9.550) and junior Carrie Kinghorn (9.500) claimed fifth through eighth, respectively.
The Hornets took two of the top three spots on beam as Narasaki won and senior Stefanie Aeder tied for third. The Sun Devils’ Kari Muth was second at 9.775 while Boone matched Aeder with a 9.725. Sacramento State’s Trista Condren was sixth with a season-best 9.575. Freshman Melissa Genovese was one spot behind with a 9.550.
Floor was dominated by ASU as the Sun Devils had five of the top six finishers. Following Boone was Jusino (9.875) and Muth (9.825). Aeder tied Kelly for fourth place with a 9.800. Lisa Lanza rounded out the Arizona State attack with a 9.775 to place sixth. Zaher scored 9.700 and Narasaki earned a 9.625 to finish in seventh and eighth, respectively.
Kelly paced ASU in the all-around where the Sun Devils took the top four spots. Zaher was the top Hornet finisher with a 38.275 to finish fifth. Hoffman was seventh at 37.125.
Despite finishing second, Sacramento State helped its hopes for an NCAA regional berth by raising its regional qualifying score. The formula, which is used by the NCAA to determine its postseason field, takes the team’s top six scores, eliminates the top score and then divides by five. The 191.525 scored on Friday replaces a 190.375 recorded at the UCLA Quad on Jan. 23.
The Hornets return to competition on Friday, Feb. 25, against Alaska Anchoragae. The meet, which will take place at the Hornets Nest, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
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TEAM SCORES: 1. Arizona State 193.650; 2. Sacramento State 191.525; 3. Air Force.
VAULT: 1. Kelly, ASU, 9.825; 4. Zaher 9.650; 5. Hoffman 9.625; 6. Greer 9.575; 7. Giao 9.500; 10. Kinghorn 9.425; 15. Genovese 9.275.
BARS: 1. Kelly, ASU, 9.950; 4. Tsurumoto 9.675; 5. Zaher 9.600; 7. Hoffman 9.550; 8. Kinghorn 9.500; 12. Greer 9.125.
BEAM: 1. Narasaki, SAC, 9.800; T3. Aeder 9.725; 6. Condren 9.575; 7. Genovese 9.500; 11. Zaher 9.325; T17. Hoffman 8.650.
FLOOR: 1. Boone, ASU, 9.875; T4. Aeder 9.800; 7. Zaher 9.700; 8. Narasaki 9.625; 11. Giao 9.450; 12. Hoffman 9.300; 16. Condren 8.925.
