Utah State Gymnastics topples San Jose State
The scores were high as Utah State Gymnastics secured its first conference victory of the season, competing against San Jose State with a score of 195.050 to 194.675 on Jan. 24 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Despite some minor hiccups on beam, the Aggies were able to come out on top through team spirit and strong individual performances.
“Really proud of our Aggies to get a win at home,” said head coach Kristin White.
Utah State opened the meet on vault, where the Aggies were able to set the tone, posting a team score of 48.925 and securing an early lead over the Spartans, who scored 48.825. They were able to use this excitement and momentum to move to their next event, uneven bars.
Utah State continued to build its point advantage on bars. The Aggies scored a 48.925 on bars, again beating San Jose State’s score of 48.400.
Junior Sydney Jelen delivered a standout routine and tied for the highest bars score with a point total of 9.850. She said she was excited about her performance and proud of the outcome.
“I was really excited starting off on bars,” Jelen said. “It’s always so exciting, and I felt really accomplished after my bar routine.”
Sydney Jelen salutes after his dismount of the uneven bars Jan. 23 in the Spectrum. Photo by: Alyssa Cook
Jelen carried that confidence into beam, where she delivered another exceptional routine and again earned the top event score with a 9.825.
“I was just thinking of doing me and staying focused on each and every skill,” Jelen said.
The Aggies’ overall beam performance recorded two falls, which proved costly. Utah State posted a team score of 48.200 for the event, .550 below the Spartans’ score of 48.750. The setback allowed the Spartans to pull forward. Still, the Aggies were able to keep their spirits up and come back for a strong performance on the floor.
“We didn’t give up,” Jelen said.
Utah State responded with its strongest event of the night: the floor routine. Each routine highlighted the athlete’s personality and featured high-difficulty skills. Isabella Vater earned the highest event score with a point total of 9.875, and the Aggies earned a meet-high score of 49.000, outscoring San Jose State’s score of 48.700 and sealing the victory.
“The fact that our team rallied back, they were able to put up a great floor performance and come out with a win, was really strong of them,” White said. “It just showed the grit and determination of our team, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Despite the minor hiccups, the Aggies pulled off the victory. The team plans to continue improving their skills and working on the details to increase their scores as they move forward in the season.
Utah State’s record this season is now 4-2, following a close loss to future PAC-12 opponent Oregon State on Jan. 25.