RANDY METCALF/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA sophomore gymnast Jamie Duce overcame the flu to pace the No. 13 Gymcats, posting high scores on three events against visiting Arizona State. No. 6 ASU took the meet, 196.950 to 196.175.

At practice on Wednesday, Arizona gymnastics head coach Bill Ryden told sophomore Jamie Duce that he doubted she would compete in Friday's meet against Arizona State.

But when Duce heard the news she just gave her coach a little shrug and smiled. She knew she was going to compete even if she was still recovering from the flu.

So on Friday night, not only did she compete, but she scored high on three events, including the floor, which is considered physically the toughest event in gymnastics.

"I felt better even after being sick Monday and Tuesday," Duce said. "In my head I was expecting to compete."

Even though Duce's scores were high, and UA (3-2, 1-2) had its sixth best overall score in school history, it was still not enough to defeat No. 6 ASU (5-1, 2-1), as it scored 196.950, beating out No. 13 Arizona's 196.175.

"To be able to pull out a 196.175 with a patchwork lineup, we'll take it," Ryden said. "At least ASU had to beat us, we didn't beat ourselves."

The Sun Devils grabbed an early lead over the Gymcats after the first event, posting a team mark of 49.475 on bars, which is a school record. Arizona responded in the second rotation with a team score of 49.175, but trailed the Sun Devils 98.825-98.000, at the halfway point.

Arizona took the team floor title with a season-high mark of 49.100, but it wasn't enough to catch the visitors from Tempe.

Ryden didn't make his lineup for the meet official until just hours before the event because of injuries and illnesses to at least seven of his gymnasts. Plus, sophomore Jamie Schell hurt her ankle in warm-ups and was fitted with a boot during the meet.

"I don't want to use illness or injury as an excuse, but we did some scrambling," Ryden said. "I honestly believe that there is no lineup change that we could have made to make anything better. With the current state of our team that's all I can ask for, and I'm very proud of that."

Sophomore Monica Bisordi, the Gymcats' top performer so far this season, was clearly struggling with the flu ÷ she was not herself during the meet. Bisordi struggled on the vault with a score of 9.275 and finished fourth out of four competitors in the all-around.

However, a bright spot for Arizona was junior Sheehan Lemley, earning two career highs on the bars and beam.

"I'm really excited because I have been kind of injured," said Lemley who has struggled her entire career with ankle problems. "My ankles aren't 100 percent, but they are getting there."