USU Gymnastics scores season high in loss to Flippin’ Birds
LOGAN — Utah State Gymnastics scored a season-high 196.175 but fell to No. 21 Southern Utah, who scored 197.125, in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Friday night. The meet’s turnout was the 16th best attendance in school history, which helped give the Aggies the support they needed.
Going into the meet, SUU was favored coming off of a win against Brigham Young, while the Aggies were trying to bounce back from a loss to Boise State with a season-low score of 193.425.
Although USU lost, there was a lot of success with multiple Aggies hitting new personal records. Junior Brianna Brooks, who competed in all four events for the night, hit a new personal record with her all-around score of 39.300. Her performance of the night earned her Rockstar of the Meet award.
“I just had fun and it was a really amazing feeling performing on bars and beam,” Brooks said. “I felt the energy from all the fans and just had a good time.”
USU started the meet on the vault with a team score of 48.700 led by Brooks’ score of 9.800. SUU was able to come out on top with three of their athletes earning a score of 9.850. The Thunderbirds won the event 49.200-48.700.
The Aggies then went on to get a score of 49.175 on bars. They had strong performances from Brooks who set a new personal record with a 9.900. Sophomore Dani Kirstine and freshman Avery Bibbey also scored new personal records with Kirstine scoring a 9.875 and Bibbey scoring a 9.850. SUU had an overall team score of 49.275 beating the Aggies’ score of 49.175.
Last week the Aggies struggled on the bars with two different athletes falling off during their routine and earned an overall score of 47.375. On Friday, USU earned a new event high and Head Coach Kristin White had extremely positive things to say about her athletes that competed.
“We are trying to learn that it’s okay to make a mistake. Last weekend was a fluke thing,” White said. “We have to learn that adversity is going to happen and we have to keep pushing through and believing. I was really proud of them for putting it together tonight.”
The Aggies had a strong performance on the beam with an overall score of 49.075. Brooks had the highest score with another 9.900. Senior Sofi Sullivan was back performing, after being out in last week’s meet, clinching the second-highest score for the Aggies on the event with a 9.850. Graduate student Carley Bayles, who scored a 9.800, and senior Alivia Ostendorf, who scored a 9.750, both hit new personal records tonight as well. SUU won the event 49.450 to 49.075.
To finish off on the floor, the Aggies narrowly won the event with a score of 49.225 to SUU’s 49.200. Senior Ariel Toomey set a new personal record in the event, with a score of 9.925, and also got first place in the event. Sophomore Payton Gatzlaff and junior Jenna Eagles both set personal records on the event, earning a 9.825.
The team’s performance tonight was USU’s highest score of the season, and they did it through adversity. Key performer Amari Evans suffered an Achilles tendon rupture in the last meet ending her season, per her Instagram.
“I think we came in with a chip on our shoulder and were ready to get it done,” Brooks said. “We wanted to do it for each other more than anything.”
USU will be on the road next weekend taking on BYU on Feb. 24 at 7 pm. Utah State’s lone win of the season came against the Cougars in January.
“To be able to put up a great performance and have a great home score is really exciting for us, so we are looking forward to going to BYU next weekend,” said Coach White.
Featured image by Heidi Bingham.