USU struggles in gymnastics opener
The Utah State gymnastics team struggled with youth and inexperience as it fell 192.225-188.800 against the Boise State Broncos during Monday’s season-opener at the Pavilion in Boise, Idaho.
The Broncos started the year off with a 1-0 mark, led by sophomore Breanne Holmes, who won the all-around competition with a score of 38.875.
She was followed by fellow Broncos Jessica Berry, with a score of 38.775, and Jamie Johns, with a score of 38.500.
BSU came out with a win in all four competitions and the all-around.
The Aggies fell to 0-1 on the season, posting what coach Ray Corn said was probably one of the lowest scores for an opening meet the team has ever had.
“We are a very young team and we certainly succumbed to our own personal pressures,” Corn said.
“We are all extremely disappointed,” he said. “But this will be a team that will bounce back.
“We are very determined, and the only way to prove just how hard we have worked over the course of the last eight months is success on the floor of competition.”
The Aggies started off slow, counting falls on both the uneven bars (47.450) and the vault (47.725).
“We made a couple of mistakes and I think that our young people struggled with that,” Corn said. “There were a lot of bright spots, but with 14 falls you aren’t going to beat anyone.”
Utah State senior Amanda Jenkins led the team on the bars with an impressive 9.850 in her collegiate debut. Sophomore Tina Ellis followed close behind with a 9.825.
On the vault, Ellis and freshman Mika Houston turned in a solid pair of 9.700s. Junior Jessenia Abrego rounded out the Aggies’ top three with a 9.625.
The Aggies continued to struggle during the third rotation, counting two falls on the floor exercise to post a 46.500. Senior Kristin O’Dell highlighted the event with a 9.725.
In the final rotation, sophomore Kristen Bloom’s 9.825 and Ellis’ 9.750 performances helped USU record a 47.125 on the beam.
“A lot of our freshman and sophomores, people who have stepped but never really competed collegiately before, struggled. We learned from it and we will move on,” Corn said.
The Aggies will continue the season on the road as they travel to Berkeley, Calif. on Sunday to compete in a quad-meet.
The meet will feature University of California, University of Arizona (No. 20) and Oklahoma University (No. 21). Utah State (No. 27) will host its first match of the season Jan. 26 against Boise State in the Spectrum.