ASU Gymnastics: Arizona State upsets tenth-ranked UCLA in final regular season Pac-12 meet

Hannah Scharf lifts ASU over UCLA in season finale

TEMPE, Ariz. — With the outcome of the last Pac-12 regular season meet balancing on her routine and the weight her team on her shoulders, Hannah Scharf took to the floor.

To her, there was no pressure. Scharf believed Arizona State had already clinched its upset win over the tenth-ranked UCLA Bruins.

She executed the double pike before finishing with her hand raised, displaying the pride of the Sun Devil pitchfork.

Scharf, one of nine seniors on ASU’s gymnastics team, delivered, tying her season high of 9.925 to push No. 18 Arizona State (7-5, 4-3 Pac-12) past No. 10 UCLA (6-10, 4-3 Pac-12), 196.625-196.325.

“I had heard the crowd but I didn’t see the other girl fall, I just thought, ‘Oh we won,’ Scharf said. “But, I wasn’t thinking too much during my routine, so I just kind of let it flow and let my body take over. So it felt really good.”

ASU trailed for most of the meet, having tied UCLA on the vault (49.150) before UCLA gained the advantage in rotations two and three. The Sun Devils, however, remained close, only trailing 98.500-98.300 after the bars and 147.875-147.325 after the beam.

Then came routine four.

With the upset win, ASU locked its third-straight winning season — its longest streak since 1997-2001. Head coach Jay Santos notched his third top-10 win in his career in maroon and gold as well as the third ranked win of the season (No. 17 Arizona and No. 25 Southern Utah).

“It was kind of a weird, crazy meet in my opinion,” Santos said. “Especially with how it ended and we weren’t sure that we were gonna be able to get there with that. I think we gave some stuff away. I think we started really well but then gave some stuff away, and then obviously they (ASU) kept fighting, they didn’t give up. Credit to them for not giving up because then they got the opportunity to do what they did and get that win against UCLA, the number 10 team in the country, which is always exciting.

Perhaps it was the alumni in attendance that championed the Sun Devils to victory.

“It’s amazing to bring them back into the program,” Santos said. “They had so much success during John (Spini)’s time, so it’s great to have them around and bring them back. Even just to have them see a meet like this and show them that we’re still doing it. We’re still trying to make them proud and hold up that legacy. It’s always great when things like that can come together.”

Senior Emily White sure felt the radiating support.

“I think that helped us a lot because we’ve been focusing on things like the fire and just bringing that competitive energy,” she said. “So the crowd definitely helped us channel that tonight and it was really fun.”

Scharf sent her and the eight other seniors off with a proper send-off. But for some, such jubilation was met with the realization that it was their last ride.

“I really enjoyed my five years here and I feel like I’ve taken every opportunity I can to just enjoy the experience,” she said. “I knew it was coming to an end eventually, but it’s definitely gonna be sad because it’s finally here.”

Having concluded it final meet on the season, ASU will ready for Senior Day meet against Southern Connecticut on Friday, March 15, before for nationals.