Aggie gymnasts look to floor ASU
What a difference a year can make.
Last season, the Utah State gymnastics team ventured to Boise State University to open the final year of gymnastics competition sponsored by the Big West Conference only to come home with a disappointing 192.225-188.880 loss.
This season, the Aggies defeated California State University, Fullerton 192.750-191.375 Friday in the Spectrum. Both teams are members of the newly-formed Western Gymnastics Conference.
“I thought it [Friday’s victory] was one of the best starts we’ve had in a long time,” USU Head Coach Ray Corn said. “It was certainly better than the 188.800 at Boise a year ago.”
One of the crucial elements to the Aggie win was not having to count any falls on vault or bars, despite a few minor mistakes.
Another event the Aggies suffered a few mishaps on was the balance beam – an event which plagued the team last season, seems considerably better this year.
“It was just jitters,” Corn said. “A lower score is better than a fallen score.”
Now that the team has had a week to get rid of the jitters, the Aggies will face a tough competitor, the nationally ranked No. 9 Arizona State.
Ironically, the Sun Devils finished the 2001 season ranked No. 9 in the NCAA National Meet.
Although the Aggies would enjoy a win over ranked Arizona, Corn’s biggest goal is improvement from the Fullerton meet.
“I’d like to challenge Arizona State to not count any falls at all,” Corn said. “See how they fare in that first opening meet.”
Senior Jessenia Abrego is hoping the rumors she has heard about Arizona State are true.
“I heard they don’t compete well in their first meet of the season,” she said. “We have a chance of beating them.”
One thing which may turn out as an advantage for USU, All-American all-arounder Laura Moon is out with a knee injury for the Sun Devils.
Losing a key gymnast is something the Aggies can relate to. Tina Ellis moved into retirement due to injury.
Competing in all but three meets in the all-around competition for USU last season, Ellis earned all-Big West honors in consecutive years and had a third-place finish in the all-around with a 38.925 mark.
“It’s been brutal [not having Ellis],” Corn said.
Looking to fill the void of Ellis in the all-around, the Aggies have turned to sophomore Mika Love Houston and continue to look to junior Nicole Kilpatrick.
In the match-up with Fullerton, all-around meet winner (38.350) Houston impressed and surprised many Friday, as she was just now expected to be beginning training due to a car accident in August.
“It was inspirational to watch Mika perform,” Corn said.
Kilpatrick checked in with a 38.000 overall.