Staff Reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 20, 1998

Sidelines

The losses keep piling up for the No. 12 UA gymnastics team.

In Friday's 194.70-188.85 loss to fifth-ranked Utah, the Wildcats (1-1) lost their second top performer, junior Maureen Kealey, for the season. Kealey, the team's best vaulter, broke her left tibia when she landed in the vault event.

"Losing Maureen is a tough blow. It's another kick in the face for our team," UA gymnastics coach Jim Gault said. "We will need to see if our team has the character to get behind each other and collectively raise our level of performance."

Kealey's loss comes just months after losing All-American Heidi Hornbeek for the season due to shoulder surgery.

Junior Kristin McDermott, senior Tenli Poggemeyer and senior Rose McLaughlin will be looked on to help replace the scoring from both Kealey and Hornbeek.

"Now we can't rely on a 9.9 from Heidi or a 9.8 from Maureen every night. We can't, however, put the pressure on just one girl to make up for the lost scoring," Gault said.

Yet Friday's meet was not a total loss.

The Wildcats received encouraging performances from senior Cami Banholzer on the vault (9.7), McLaughlin on the beam (9.65) and McDermott on bars (9.675).

Briefly

After over a month layoff, the UA swimming and diving teams defeated Northern Arizona Saturday at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.

The fifth-ranked women cruised to a 165-113 victory, while the No. 10 men won 143-123. Arizona was shorthanded, missing Ryk Neethling, Trina Jackson, Lindsay Farella and head coach Frank Busch, who are at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Australia. Plus, senior All-American Leisl Kolbisen sat out for undisclosed reasons.

Senior Shannon Hosack won three individual races and helped her team win the 400-meter freestyle relay. Sophomore diver Adrian David set a Hillenbrand record, scoring 347.10 in the three-meter springboard.

By the Numbers

.833:

The varsity season winning percentage UA teams hold over rival ASU in head-to-head competitions (5-1) this school year after Saturday's women's basketball victory over the Sun Devils.