Gymnasts score season high, lose to BYU
PROVO – It was a shaky night for the Utah State gymnastics team as they lost to No. 16 Brigham Young University for the second time this season 196.425 to 195.100.
“They did a very good job in a tough situation,” Utah State Head Coach Ray Corn said. “My hat off to BYU. They looked really good.”
Although USU, which should now be ranked at No. 16 – tied with Arkansas – lost, the team still managed a season high on the bars, with a 48.950. Bars have given the team trouble in past meets, but they came out on top against BYU. With a career high and two season highs, the team had a good performance.
“It was our best performance of the year,” Corn said.
Bars was their first event of the night and it was strong. Leading the way with a tie of 9.25 were Megan Tschida, with a career high, and Jessica Parenti, with a season high.
Ashley Barr also managed a season high of 9.800.
Parenti forgot her grips for the bars and had to borrow some from the BYU coach, Brad Captermole.
“I had to hit them because it’s bad [to forget your grips],” Parenti said. “It’s kind of hit and be forgiven.”
Next up was the vault, where USU experienced something out of the norm, a fall by Parenti.
Fortunately for the team, they did not have to count it.
Rachael Mandy led the way with a 9.8 and Meagan Nelson helped with a 9.75.
The team also saw Liesel Kohler fall during her floor routine, an odd sight for the usually on-target gymnasts.
“We missed two big scores that held us back,” Corn said of Parenti and Kohler.
Top scores included Tschida with a 9.85 and Parenti with a 9.8 on the floor.
The team finished big on the beam with co-captain Katie Rutherford scoring a career-high of 9.825. Parenti tied her season high of 9.85 for the third time this season.
The team will continue the season next Monday with a rematch against Southern Utah in the Spectrum.
The team will have four meets in the next two weeks and they are halfway through season.
-vramirez@cc.usu.edu