A little bit of jitters

Aggie gymnasts finished their final tune-up Tuesday before heading to Boise State to take on the Broncos in USU’s first meet of the year. The inter-squad meet-the fourth of its kind for the Aggies-saw Utah State score 191.650 in front of a crowd of about 40 onlookers.

“It was not as successful as I would have liked it to have been,” USU head coach Ray Corn said. “All in all, I think it’s just simply first meet jitters, knowing we are getting on a bus in two days and going to Boise State.”

Utah State’s best performance came on the uneven bars, where they totaled a 48.800. They were lead by freshman Nicole Simoneau, who turned in a 9.850, and junior Nicki Felley’s 9.800. No Aggie scored worse than a 9.600.

After a strong performance on the bars, USU moved to the vault.

“We weren’t so hot there,” Corn said.

It was the first time performing their vaults with a hard landing, and USU scored a 47.600. Freshman Jasmine Minion lead the Aggies with a 9.750. Felley turned in a 9.650.

“Vault is our best event, but it’s the one that will probably come along the slowest,” Corn said.

USU recorded a 48.300 on a floor exercise Corn called very difficult and draining. Ana Rickard-Whitfield, a senior, lead Utah State with a 9.750.

The Aggies finished up the rotation with the beam, which produced three outstanding performances and some “sub-par” ones, too, Corn said.

Felley and sophomore Heather Heinrich tied with a score of 9.850. Simoneau also had a 9.750. But the Aggies also suffered three falls to bring their beam total to 46.950.

In the all around, Heinrich lead with a 38.700, followed by Felley and Simoneau, who recorded 38.300 and 38.150, respectively. Corn was certain Heinrich and Simoneau would be competing in the all around in Boise but said the staff had to decide about Felley, who wasn’t as strong on the floor-possibly due to a little strain in her ankle.

Although Corn wasn’t completely satisfied with the meet, it’s all a part of the learning process for a young team that will have 13 of its 24 routines coming from freshmen.

“You have to learn from that scrimmage,” he said. “If you fumble the ball on the 5-yard line in a football scrimmage, you can’t get down on your athletes. You just simply have to say, ‘This needs to be a learning experience.’ That’s basically what the scrimmages have been all about.

“I really believe that when those TV lights go on, (the team) will turn it on themselves,” Corn said.

-da.bake@aggiemail.usu.edu