Gymanstics stumbles in Boise
Even with a wrestling match going on the background of Friday night’s meet, Aggie Head Coach Ray Corn didn’t blame the distraction for his team’s performance.
The Utah State gymnastics team took on Boise State, Friday night, but fell short 194.100 to Boise’s 195.700. USU’s record dropped to 4-4.
The “Beauty and the Beast” meet held in Boise, Idaho, featured both gymnastics and wrestling in the same arena.
With several falls on the bars from the start, the team got off to a rough start. But with determination they came back and narrowed the lead to two points. They also scored season high’s on the vault, beam and floor.
“We dug ourselves into a hole,” Corn said about the team’s slow start. “But they made a game out of it.”
Corn said the team learned a lot, but if they are to improve for their next meet they will need to hit the bars and the beam.
“We’re going to learn from this,” said Corn about the meet’s outcome. “They’ve trained too hard to let this get them down.”
Corn has a young team, with all but the two co-captains being underclassmen. He said that the age factor affects the team. Some of the girls on the team have never competed in front of so many people.
“They’re a fun team and once they put everything together they will get going,” he said. “They are so young and excitable.”
On the bars, Ashley Barr took third place with a score of 9.825. Gretchen Goerlitz received a score of 9.825 on the vault, taking third place. On the all-around, co-captain Rachel Ropelato took second place with a score of 38.325.
On the beam, Liesel Kohler tied for third place, receiving a career-high score of 9.875.
According to co-captain Katie Rutherford, besides the occasional butterflies before a meet, she has a lot confidence in the team and Corn agreed.
“There is no lack of confidence,” he said. “Part of our goal is to prepare the girls to compete at a college level.”
“We will continue to get better,” he said.
The team’s first home meet in the season will be held Friday. They will compete against Southern Utah at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum.
“We’re pumped to come home,” Rutherford said. “It’s always easier to come home to your own arena, equipment and crowd.”
Rutherford has been a gymnast for 13 years. Against BSU she competed on the bars, vault and beam. Corn said she looked great.
“It will be a great thing for the freshmen to finally come home,” Rutherford said.
She said that it’s always easier to come and open up at home.
“We’re a great team, we just have to put it together,” she said.
The Aggies are looking for a home crowd advantage in the Spectrum next week to help them rebound from the loss in Boise.
-vramirez@cc.usu.edu