University of Denver sophomore Jessica Lopez, the school’s first three-time All-American, finished 15th in the balance beam competition and 16th in the floor exercise at the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Lopez, who helped the Pioneers earn their highest women’s gymnastics finish in school history – 10th place on Thursday – is the first gymnast to compete in the finals in more than nine years.
Lopez scored a 9.550 on the beam.Ashley Postell of Utah won the event with a 9.9375. And Lopez’s 9.7375 on the floor exercise wasn’t enough to top winner Morgan Dennis of Alabama with 9.9625.
Courtney Kupets of Georgia won the vault with a 9.9188 and Terin Humphrey of Alabama won bars with a 9.95.
Georgia on Friday won its third consecutive team title, finishing ahead of host Utah.
Women’s lacrosse
Kristie Leggio notched eight points to lead the No. 16 University of Denver women’s lacrosse team as it edged visiting California 14-12 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation finale for both teams at Peter Barton Stadium.
Ali Flury added four goals and Karen Morton had three for the Pioneers (15-2, 5-0), who finished their regular season as MPSF champions. Denver, as the league’s No. 1 seed, earned a first-round bye in the MPSF tournament, which starts Friday in Davis, Calif.
Leggio’s five goals increase her career total to 126, third all time at Denver. The senior’s three assists gave her 76, first on DU’s list. And her 202 points are the Pioneers’ second-best.
Laura Cavallo led Cal (6-8, 2-3) with four goals, and Danni Zuralow added two goals and two assists.
Men’s golf
Colorado State’s Zen Brown shot a final-round 72 to earn a 12th-place finish in pacing the Rams at the Mountain West Conference men’s golf championships at the Omni Tucson National Golf Club in Tucson.
Texas Christian sophomore Robby Ormand won a playoff to capture the individual championship. His 6-under-par 207 over 54 holes tied San Diego State’s Adam Porzak.
Brigham Young shot an 846 to edge UNLV (847) for the team title. TCU was third at 854 and Colorado State was fourth at 860. Wyoming finished eighth at 904 and Air Force was ninth at 924.
Colorado State’s Aaron Weston finished 13th with 215. Wyoming’s Niel King was 20th at 218.
Baseball
New Mexico Highlands held off a late rally by Metro State in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Brandt Field in Las Vegas, N.M., to earn an 8-5 victory and two-game sweep over the Roadrunners.
N.M. Highlands (32-17, 23-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) won the first game 17-10.
Roadrunners catcher Reece Gorman went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Metro (14-28, 12-19).
Regis’ Dan Kozloski went 2-for-3 and knocked his ninth home run of the season in the concluding game, but the Rangers were swept in a doubleheader by host Nebraska-Kearney 12-7 and 9-6 at Memorial Field. Kozloski went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a home run in the first game.
