The San José State women’s gymnastics team placed third in Saturday’s Mountain West Tournament racking up a total of 195.350 points.
Placed just above Air Force, the Spartans were a few points behind the runner up Boise State University, that scored 195.950 and the tournament champions Utah State, who won with a score of 196.100.
Not only did SJSU place third but some of the gymnasts took individual medals home with them.
Junior Mikaela Pitts and graduate student Madison Kirsch were in a three-way tie for first place in the vault along with fifth-year Bronco Emily Lopez as they all scored 9.850.
Pitts and Kirsh are the second and third Spartans to win a Mountain West vault title, according to a webpage from SJSU Athletics.
“I think that everyone had something to be proud of today and had some of our best routines of the year,” Kirsch said. “I know I had one of my best routines of the year and we just went out there, put everything out there and had a lot of fun.”
San José also had an individual first place in the uneven bars thanks to senior Sophia Konieczny who had a score of 9.900.
Like the vault, the uneven bars also had a three-way tie for first with Lopez and Aggie graduate student Brianna Brooks joining Konieczny with the same 9.900.
“Personally that was one of the best bar routines I’ve ever completed,” Konieczny said. “It was a really good end to my college career. I couldn’t have asked for a better last routine as a Spartan.”
Although the Spartans didn’t win the championship, head coach Joanne Bowers voiced how proud she was of her team given the circumstances they encountered this season.
“This season has been a struggle for us,” Bowers said. “I am more proud of the type of people we have on our team. In the first-three rotations, that’s the most fun I’ve ever seen them have.”
SJSU also had freshman Madison Gustitus earn the first place medal tying her season high of 9.875 while sophomore Marissa Ashton took the third place medal scoring 9.850 on the balance beam.
Gustitus shared this achievement with Falcons sophomore Maggie Slife who also won first place for her individual performance on the balance beam.
Ashton was a part of a four-way tie for third, sharing this accomplishment alongside two Aggies including Brooks and sophomore Sydney Jelen and Boise State junior Sydney Kho.
For the floor exercise, there were three Spartans involved in the seven-way tie for second place with each gymnast earning a 9.850 including sophomore Devyn Valuch, freshman and all-around competitor Ava Johnson and graduate student Jaudai Lopes.
Although the Spartans had three medals for the floor exercise, the team as a whole finished last recording a total score of 48.275.
“The wheels came off a little bit on floor which hurt us (and) we know, but it doesn’t diminish how proud I am of this group of young women,” Bowers said. “I know the future is bright for us and we’ve learned a lot of lessons this year.”
The three Spartans shared the spot with Broncos freshman Bridget Kemp and senior Elaina McGovern and Aggies sophomore Isabella Vater and junior Marley Peterson, who all earned a 9.850.
Valuch also won second place all-around with a total score and career high 39.100 beating out Utah State freshman Olivia Orengo and placing just below Slife.
Following the tournament, SJSU’s Gustitus is scheduled to compete in the beam event at the NCAA Regionals at noon Pacific Standard Time on Apr. 3 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
