Trip to nationals not in store for USU
DENVER, Colo. – The Utah State University gymnastics team needed perfection Saturday at the North Central Regional meet at the University of Denver’s Magness Arena if it wanted to advance to the NCAA National Championship meet.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, they fell just short.
“I’m pleased to say we went through a meet having to count no falls,” Utah State Head Coach Ray Corn said. “We just weren’t sharp. At this level, when you are trying to qualify, everything has to be aggressive. Everything has to be perfect.”
USU finished in sixth place with a 193.375, behind the University of Georgia and Stanford University who tied for first place with a 196.125.
Both the GymDogs and the Cardinal will move on to nationals which will be held in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Meet host University of Denver finished in third place with a 196.000, followed by the University of Missouri in fourth place with a 195.000
University of Georgia Head Coach Suzanne Yoculan said her team didn’t perform well at regionals, but was happy to move on.
“I don’t think you should win when you don’t perform well,” Yoculan said. “I’m glad Stanford won [as well].”
Stanford Head Coach Kristen Smyth said the Cardinal was able to get off to a strong start, but struggled finishing on beam.
The Aggies didn’t have the problem finishing on a difficult event. The team had the ideal rotation order starting on vault and ending on floor, as if they were at home, Corn said.
Aside from the perfect rotation order, Corn also thought Utah State would have an advantage competing behind the Air Force Academy.
That would not be the case, though. The Falcons finished the meet fifth with a 193.775.
Even though the Aggies did not receive the kind of scores they were used to on vault to open the meet, Corn said the team’s 48.450 put them off to a great start.
All-arounder Jessenia Abrego led USU on the vault with a 9.775.
It was not Abrego’s night, though.
The senior faced controversy after her vault because she was not wearing the number the judges thought she should have had on. No deductions were taken from the score.
Things only went worse for Abrego.
On bars Abrego received a 9.575. She did not fall, but did not complete a handstand during her routine on the lower bar.
Differences between scores by judges also lowered the Aggies’ marks.
“It seemed like all of the judges weren’t on the same level,” Abrego said. “We can’t control that.”
Corn simply said the scoring on bars was frustrating.
Even with the lower scores, Corn said the bars work was right on. The Aggies recorded a 48.400 led by freshman Katie Rutherford with a 9.750.
Then came the beam. Utah State did stay on the apparatus, but not without a lot of wobbles.
“Our wobbles killed us on beam,” Corn said.
After a big wobble Abrego was just happy to stay on.
“I tell everyone to just fight for every little tenth,” she said. “I was just happy I stayed on. I could have gave up, but I didn’t.”
Senior Kirra Seeley led the Aggies with a 9.750 on the event en route to a 48.100 team score.
Utah State finished the meet with a 48.450 on the floor exercise.
“Going over to floor exercise we were just a little bit sloppy,” Corn said.
Abrego continued her rough night as she stepped out of bounds on the event.
She scored a 9.625 on floor.
“After six rotations your body gets tired,” she said.
Stephanie Gordon led the team with a 9.800, recording a season-high mark.
Despite the last-place finish for the Aggies, Corn said he was not disappointed in his team. Utah State alumni supported USU and were extremely pleased with the Aggies’ level of performance and difficulty, Corn said.
“We represented ourselves well,” he said. “I think this is going to be something they are going to remember. It’s something we can take as a charge for the beginning of next year.”