7:00 p.m.
ONE MORE TIME ... for Bay Area bragging rights
Fresh off a sweep of UC Santa Barbara and Air Force at UCSB last weekend, Cal travels to Stanford for its third meeting of the season versus the Cardinal, Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7:00 p.m. Cal took the season opener, 214.800-211.900, but the Cardinal bounced back to knock off the Bears for the first time in over four years on Jan. 30 at the Cardinal Open, 215.15-213.4.
Most recently, AKA, the Alexander nissen show
The Golden Bears (4-1) enter the week coming off their best team performance of the season last weekend at UCSB. Senior co-captain Alexander Nissen powered the team to victories Nos. 3 and 4 as the Golden Bears scored a season-best 222.400 combined points. Nissen, who won event titles on rings, parallel bars and high bar, totaled a career-best score of 57.050 to captured his third-consecutive all-around title of the season. On pommel horse, sophomore Dave Eskildsen scored a season-high 9.650 to lead a Golden Bears sweep. Sophomore Tal Moscovitz also had a strong meet for the Bears, finishing in the Top 3 on floor (2nd), pommel horse (3rd), rings (3rd) and parallel bars (2nd).
OPPONENT OUTLOOK
Stanford is 5-2 on the year and last Sunday scored a season-high 218.65 points to defeat UCSB and Air Force. Freshman Adam Berkenbile led the way for the Cardinal, taking first place on pommel horse and high bar en route to the all around title with a total score of 55.000. His twin brother Brandon also had a solid meet, placing second with an all around score of 52.000.
SERIES INFO
After splitting its previous two meets with Stanford this season, Cal's lead in the all-time series now stands at 90-33-2. Cal had its 15-meet win streak versus Stanford snapped at the Cardinal Open. It was the Bears first loss to the Cardinal since Jan. 13, 1995 and first regular season loss since Mar. 15, 1996 at the UCSB Invitational.
Lineup Limbo
Cal head coach Barry Weiner has yet to set a starting lineup for this weeks meet at Stanford. However, look for Alexander Nissen to continue to compete all-around for the Bears. Weiner may also ask Dave Eskildsen and Tal Moscovitz to each add an event and compete all-around. Freshmen Tom Kutz (FX, PH, SR, HB) and Karl Ziehn (FX, SR, V, HB) should also play prominent roles with Edward Burch (FX, V, PB, HB), Jeff Stein (PB) and Suhail Arastu (PH) contributing on specialized events.
SCORES ON THE RISE
Cal's meet at UCSB was clearly its best of the season, as the Bears posted season-high team scores in every event en route to a season-best all-around total of 222.4 points. In addition to recording a nine point jump all-around over its last meet, Cal registered a full point increase on vault, a nearly two-point gain on rings, a 2.65 addition on h-bar and a staggering three-point accumulation on p-bars.
POMMEL HORSE POWER
Cal's strength was apparent throughout its most recent meet, but especially on pommel horse where sophomore Dave Eskildsen scored a season-high 9.650 to lead a Bear sweep of the event. Alexander Nissen (9.450) placed second, with Tal Moscovitz and freshman Suhail Arastu tying for third (9.250).
Sophomore sensations
Sophomores Tal Moscovitz and Dave Eskildsen continue to play incresingly important roles for the Bears. Though neither has yet to compete all-around, Eskildsen took home two event titles (horse/ h-bar), and Moscovitz posted Top 3 finishes on floor (2nd), pommel horse (3rd), rings (3rd) and parallel bars (2nd) as both competed in five of six events.
