Gymnastics season winding to a close
The Utah State gymnastics team has had four meets in 10 days, but they’re not done yet.
The Aggies will compete in the Western Gymnastics Conference finals Friday.
The team’s March 6 meet was a home meet against the California Golden Bears. It was the first time that the team competed without the help of co-captain Katie Rutherford, who pulled ligaments in the previous practice. Rachael Mandy took over on the bars and the beam for Rutherford.
Then No. 27 California beat Utah State 195.825 to 195.350.
On the vault, Alex Martin tied her career best of 9.725. Stacy Stewart tied her career high on the beam of 9.850. She said the beam was her favorite event and that she feels at home on it.
Stewart also got a career high on the floor of 9.825, along with Liesel Kohler, who tied her best score of 9.950, the second best all-time score at USU. Gretchen Goerlitz also tied her career high 9.925. The 49.400 was the second best floor score of the season and the third best of all-time.
The March 8th meet was also at home for the Aggies as they took on the Cal State Fullerton Titans. The Aggies won the meet 195.925 to the Titans 195.700.
The Titans were at No. 27 going up against No. 31 Utah State.
On the vault, both Martin and Mandy tied their career best scores. Goerlitz set a career best of 9.900 on the vault and made it the best vault score of any USU gymnast. The 48.925 that the team got on the vault was this season’s highest score. It also tied for the ninth best vault score of all-time.
On the bars, Stewart scored a career high of 9.800. She also got a career best of 9.900 on the beam. Ashley Barr tied her career best on the beam of 9.8.
At the end of the third rotation, Utah State was on top, barely. Each team needed every point they could get and in the end it came down to the last person, Goerlitz. Goerlitz rose to the occasion, getting her best floor score of 9.950.
On March 12, the Aggies came face-to-face with BYU for the second time this season, only this time it was at home. BYU is ranked at No. 15, while the Aggies come in at No. 31. Last time BYU beat USU and this time was no different as BYU defeated the Aggies 198.025 to 196.225, which is the highest overall score of the season for the Aggies.
“We just keep getting better and better,” said Head Coach Ray Corn. “I am extremely proud.”
Utah State had three all-arounders, as co-captain Rachel Ropelato stepped up for the team competing on the bars and the beam.
On the vault Mandy received a career high of 9.85 while Goerlitz tied her career high of 9.9. The overall vault score was the second best this season.
The Aggies also received their second best score of the season on the bars. Stewart got a career high of 9.875 and Ropelato’s solid performance landed her a career high of 9.925.
“We’ve tried to focus in on bars,” Ropelato said.
As Goerlitz said, it was time to put it all together.
On the beam Goerlitz tied her career high of 9.825.
The team tied the season’s best floor score along with getting the second best all-time score. Goerlitz tied her career high of 9.95.
Monday, the team faced No. 20 team, Denver. Utah State lost 195.450 to the Pioneers 197.100.
Barr competed in the all-around for the first time in her college career. On the vault she got a 9.7 for a very solid display. Mandy and Goerlitz tied their career highs.
The team scored their best score on the vault and the seventh best all-time.
On the bars Mandy set a career best on the bars with a 9.825.
On the floor the team received a season best. Ropelato tied her career best of 9.875 along with Kohler and her 9.95 and Goerlitz at 9.95.
-vramirez@cc.usu.edu