Gymnasts perform well but lose to No. 24 BYU
Friday the 13th was a bittersweet day for Utah State’s gymnastics team.
Although they lost 195.250 to BYU’s 196.425, they put up a fight and got their highest road score this season and their second highest overall.
“That was the best performance of the year, without a doubt,” said USU Head Coach Ray Corn. “[BYU] challenged us as much as they could.”
BYU is ranked No. 25 in the country. Their team is led by Kari Lords, a senior. Lords is ranked second in the country on the beam and No. 22 in the all-around.
It’s not hard to see just what Utah State was up against. Even BYU was impressed by the effort and talent shown by Utah State.
“They did a really good job,” said BYU’s Head Coach, Brad Cattermole about Utah’s performance. “They’re just going to get better and better.”
Utah State started their night on the bars. Although they struggled, they still managed to get their second best bars score this season.
“We struggled on the uneven bars because the angles which the bars were at were different than home,” Corn said.
But as all-arounder Alex Martin put it, they have to adjust to each situation and meet.
Stepping up for the Aggies on the uneven bars were co-captains Katie Rutherford and Rachel Ropelato. Martin helped out with her 9.850, while fellow freshman Gretchen Goerlitz competed for only her second time on the bars. Goerlitz improved from last week’s 9.675 to a 9.700. She said she is starting to feel more comfortable.
On the vault, Utah State received a season best score of 48.800. Ropelato and Rachael Mandy both received scores of 9.825, a career high for Mandy. Goerlitz put up a 9.800. That was her second best vault score of the season. Martin’s 9.700 was also her second best of the season.
The team then moved on to the floor where they put up their usual high numbers. Their 49.225 is this season’s second highest on the floor and the 10th best of all-time. Goerlitz led the way for the Aggies with her career best score of 9.925. Liesel Kohler received a 9.850 and Martin got her second-best floor score and tied teammate Ashley Barr with a score of 9.825. Stacy Stewart received a career best of 9.725.
Utah State’s final event was the beam.
Martin’s 9.850 tied for this season’s top score on the beam. Rutherford followed up with a 9.725, while Kohler helped with her 9.700.
“The beam has been a weak point [for me] lately,” said Goerlitz about her performance.
She received a 9.150 because of a fall on her land.
“It’s something that we will work on,” she said.
Corn said they cracked a little on the beam, but that he has a well-disciplined team that is taught to expect the unexpected and hit their routines.
He’s right about that. After Barr’s fall last week, she was back on to prove it was only a fluke as she was the first performer for the Aggies on the beam. She received a score of 9.675.
“Without a doubt, we have a very good team,” Corn said. “I am extremely pleased. It was a good road score.”
The team had to deal with a quick turnaround after the BYU meet, facing Southern Utah University on Monday. Details of the meet will be published in Friday’s Statesman.
-vramirez@usu.edu