Gymnastics: Ponies post season-high score in loss to Wolfpack

COTTAGE GROVE - Not even a season-best score was enough to lift the Stillwater gymnastics team to a victory over Park-Cottage Grove on Thursday.

The Ponies (4-4 SEC, 4-5) posted a score of 137.85 to better their previous best of 137.5 at the St. Cloud Tech Invite on Dec. 19, but still fell short of Park's total of 142.0.

"Despite losing to Park, we had our best team score of the season and left feeling very satisfied with our performance," Ponies coach Traci Swenson said.

Stillwater's opening event produced its lowest score of the meet after posting a 33.5 in the bars.

Alicia Doerr (8.85) and Kristina Krenz (8.375) led the way for the Ponies while Sami Matschi (8.175) and Sidnee Ronsberg (8.1) also contributed to the team score.

"Sidnee had another great routine," Swenson said. "She continues to get cleaner in her execution. She has a couple of new skills we're hoping to add to her routine next week, which will increase her score potential on the bars.

"Alicia had her best bar routine of the season, doing a beautiful pirouette on the low bar. She finished with flawless giants and a tuck dismount."

Doerr also led the Ponies in the vault with a 9.15 while Ronsberg close behind at 9.05. Matschi received an 8.55 and Abby Skaar followed with an 8.1.

"Sami had her best hanspring-full vault, which she debuted at the Eagan Invitational (last Saturday)," Swenson said. "She's getting better at finding the full and spotting the landing. Now she can focus on getting a little bit tighter to improve her execution.

"Sidnee and Alicia finished our vault team with excellent handspring-fulls. Both girls got great block off the table before twisting, which helps them maximize their scores."

The Ponies were consistent in the floor, with all five gymnasts scoring within six-tenths of each other. Doerr led the way with an 8.775 and Ronsberg followed with an 8.65. Matschi (8.5), Leia Felicilda (8.35) and Kelly O'Neill (8.2) completed the varsity lineup.

"Kelly started with an outstanding routine," Swenson said. "She is getting more height on her tumbling skills and she's polishing her dance well. Sidnee had her best floor routine of the season and a new personal best score.

"Alicia opened with a huge front-full, front handspring. It was the best front-full pass I have seen her complete, either in a meet or in practice. The rest of her routine was going great, until her last tumbling pass. She was disappointed, since the routine had been going so well, but the progress she has made on her first pass is so beneficial for her routine heading into our last meets that it outweighs the error on the last pass."

Stillwater saved its showing for the beam in its final event with a team score of 35.225.

"The highlight of our meet was beam," Swenson said.

Doerr received a 9.225 to lead the Ponies and Krenz followed with an 8.95. Matschi (8.7) and Felicilda (8.35) completed the scoring.

"Leia started us off with a lovely, stuck routine," Swenson said. "It is so helpful to the team to start beam with a stuck routine and Sami followed with another stuck routine. Alicia finished a great meet with another stuck routine.

"Kristina returned to beam following last week's foot injury. Unfortunately she had a fall early in her routine on her dance series. The rest of the routine was basically flawless and she finished with a stuck dismount. With the .5 deduction for a fall, her score of 8.95 shows how good the rest of her routine was. Even with the fall, Kristina finished third on beam."

Doerr tied Park's Sarah LaBrosse for first in the all-around with scores of 36.0. Matschi established a new personal best with a 33.925 total while placing fourth.

"As it was our fourth meet in eight days, we were very happy with the girls' performance," Swenson said. "They are tired from so many competitions in a short time, but they did not show that at all (Thursday) on the meet floor. It will be nice now to have a couple of days for rest and practice before our last dual meet of the season next Thursday at White Bear Lake."

n The Stillwater JV team also posted a season-high score of 128.8, but fell short to the Wolfpack (131.35). The Ponies turned in five stuck routines on the beam.

Park 142.0, Stillwater 137.85

Stillwater results

Vault (Stillwater 34.85) - Alicia Doerr 9.15; Sidnee Ronsberg 9.05; Sami Matschi 8.55; Abby Skaar 8.1; Kelly O'Neill 8.025.

Uneven bars (Stillwater 33.5) - Alicia Doerr 8.85; Kristina Krenz 8.375; Sami Matschi 8.175; Sidnee Ronsberg 8.1; Maddie Steffl 7.45.

Beam (Stillwater 35.225) - Alicia Doerr 9.225; Kristina Krenz 8.95; Sami Matschi 8.7; Leia Felicilda 8.35; Olivia Wyffels 7.975.

Floor (Stillwater 34.275) - Alicia Doerr 8.775; Sidnee Ronsberg 8.65; Sami Matschi 8.5; Leia Felicilda 8.35; Kelly O'Neill 8.2.

All-around - 1, tie, Alicia Doerr (St) 36.0 and Sarah LaBrosse (Par) 36.0; 4. Sami Matschi (St) 33.925.

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