Several gymnasts set new career highs, but Aggies fall on the road to No. 13 Denver

USU gymnastics scored a season-high road score of 195.000 on Saturday against No. 13 Denver, but the Pioneers posted a score of 196.675 to defeat the Aggies in front of a standing-room only crowd at Hamilton Gymnasium in Denver, Colo.

With a crowd containing 2,444 fans, the Aggies had seven girls either tie or set career-high marks at the dual meet.

Freshman Faith Leary had the best meet of her career, and recorded the team’s highest score of the night with a personal-best of 9.875, tieing her for third place on the floor. On the vault she also celebrated another career-high 9.775.

Junior Emily Briones had a noteworthy personal performance in her return to the floor event after suffering from a torn achilles on the floor at New Hampshire, almost one-year ago to the date. Briones earned a 9.775 against Denver.

Freshman Leighton Varnadore excelled with two career-highs for the night, scoring a 9.850 on the beam where she tied for third, and a tally of 9.750 on the floor. Mikaela Meyer, a fellow freshman on the team, was able to tie for third on the vault with her career-high of 9.825.

To add to the list of career-high-tying scores for the night, Jazmyn Estrella pulled a 9.850 along with teammate and fellow sophomore Brittany Jeppesen on the bars to tie the two Aggies. Estrella also went on to place fifth on the vault with a 9.800. Freshman Annie Beck went on to tie for fifth on the beam with her career-best 9.825.

Sophomore Makayla Bullitt made her collegiate debut on the bars at the dual meet with a score of 9.675, while junior Madison Ward also made a first-ever appearance on the beam with a 9.525. Ward competed for the first time of her career in the all-around, and placed fourth with a tally of 38.475.

On Friday the Aggies will be at home in the Spectrum to take on No. 9 Boise State. The meet will start at 7 p.m.