The Golden Gophers earned a 195.125 to tally their best mark of the 2007 season, but fell to No. 15 Arizona, who scored a 195.400. The Gophers set a season-best on bars with a 48.900, and tied their best floor score (48.925) and their best beam score (48.825). Minnesota defeated Arizona on two events, winning the bars and the beam.

The Gophers were up on bars first, and earned their best bars score of the season with a 48.900. Junior Angela Walker led the way for Minnesota, earning a career-best mark of 9.850 to finish in a tie for second place. Senior Stephanie Funk and first-year gymnast Alexis Russell were the second-highest scorers for the Gophers, each earning a 9.775 to tie for fourth place. Russell’s mark set a personal best on bars. Sophomore Jade Beattie had her best bars score of the year with a 9.750. Junior Andy Cornelius also earned a 9.750 for the Maroon and Gold. Arizona competed on vault in the first rotation, and went into the second rotation with a slim 48.925-48.900 lead.

Minnesota was on vault in the second rotation, where they tallied a 48.475. Beattie was the Gophers’ top finisher, earning a career-best 9.775 to place fourth. Senior Kelly Ganchan was the second-highest finisher for Minnesota, coming in fifth with a 9.750. Junior Ashley Mutchler scored a 9.700 to mark her best vault score of the season. Arizona earned a 48.850 on the bars in the second rotation, and held a 97.775-97.375 after the first two events.

The Gophers tied their best floor score of the season with a 48.925 in the third rotation. Juniors Amanda Miles and Andy Cornelius were the top scorers for Minnesota, each earning a career-best 9.825 to tie for fifth place. Sophomore Carmelina Carabajal tallied a 9.800 for Minnesota. Walker had her best floor score of the season with a 9.750, while Alexis Russell set a personal-best mark with a 9.725. Stanton tied her best floor score of the year with a 9.725. Arizona scored a 48.400 on beam, allowing Minnesota to narrow the Wildcats’ lead to just .125 at 146.300-146.175 going into the last event.

Minnesota tied its best beam score of the year with a 48.825. Stanton led the way for the Gophers on floor, earning a 9.875 to win the event and set the team’s highest individual beam score of the year. Miles scored a 9.775, her best beam score of the season, to place third. Walker tied for fourth with a 9.750. Carabajal had a season-best performance on beam with a 9.725. Arizona tallied a 49.225 on floor in the last rotation, to bring the final score to 195.400-195.125.

In the all around, Alexis Russell set a career-high score with a 38.550. She was Minnesota’s only all around competitor, and placed second.

Minnesota will return home to the Sports Pavilion next weekend, when the Gophers host the annual Best of Minnesota Meet, featuring the Gophers, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline, and Winona State. The competition will begin at 6 p.m. on February 10.