Utah State Gymnastics splits results on senior night
LOGAN — Utah State Gymnastics (194.600) topped Alaska Anchorage (191.750), but fell to Nebraska (197.500) on Saturday night in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Cornhuskers recorded a season-high total score to best the Aggies on senior night.
“We wanted to come out here and really rock all four events and unfortunately we didn’t do that tonight,” USU head coach Kristin White said. “It was a great night regardless of the score.”
USU started the night on vault scoring 48.850, their second-best total in the event this season. Utah State was led by a 9.850 from senior Alivia Ostendorf and a 9.800 from sophomore Payton Gatzlaff.
“It was the first time this season that we had a really strong vault performance,” White said. “Really proud of those student-athletes that have been working hard to get in there and improve each and every week on vault.”
Freshman Chelsea Southam set a personal record with a 9.70 on vault.
“One of my highlights was definitely Chelsea Southam,” White said. “She made her vault for the very first time. She’s competed it three other times so far and has not successfully completed it so for her to make that vault — she’s been working so hard. I’m incredibly proud of the hard work.”
During the first rotation, Nebraska tallied 49.300 on floor and Alaska put up 47.550 on bars.
In the second rotation, junior Brianna Brooks tied her personal record with a 9.900 on bars following a 9.850 from freshman Avery Bibbey. The Aggies recorded a 49.175, tying their second-best score in the event this year.
“A few home meets ago our bar team kind of struggled here in the Spectrum and they just knocked it out of the park today,” White said.
Senior Lexi Aragon set a personal record with her 9.825.
The Cornhuskers marked 49.300 on vault and the Seawolves had their best rotation tallying 48.350 on beam in the second rotation.
In the third rotation, Nebraska showcased a meet-best 49.500 on bars while Alaska scored 48.125 on floor. Meanwhile, Utah State struggled on beam as three Aggies fell off during their routines.
“It kind of started from the warmup over there,” White said. “All the other three events were super strong during warmups and beam was just lacking a little bit of confidence and I think we saw that during competition today.”
USU bounced back with two 9.925s from senior Sofi Sullivan and Brooks.
“When that happens I just want to get up there and do the best for my team and help bring it back,” Sullivan said. “I just think about doing what I do in practice every day so I don’t really worry about whatever happened before me.”
White knew Sullivan would get the Aggies back on track.
“We call (Sullivan) our beam queen,” White said. “There was no doubt in my mind that even though we had the mistakes that we had that she was going to go out there and do her job like she does every single time. So very proud of her.”
The Aggies totaled 47.650 on beam.
After that tough rotation, White helped her team reset before the final rotation.
“I told them it is what it is,” White said. “We can’t control what had just happened on beam. The only thing that we can control is going in that final rotation and giving everything that we’ve got. So we’ll go in the gym. We’ll continue to work hard. We’ll make those adjustments that we need to make, but again, those things happen in gymnastics and it’s just one event of the four. We’ve got to keep moving strong.”
On floor, USU finished with 48.925 with two 9.850s from seniors Ariel Toomey and Ostendorf. The Cornhuskers secured their victory by scoring 49.400 on beam and the Seawolves finished their night with a total score of 47.675 on vault.
Also in the fourth rotation, Brooks capped off her all-around score with a 9.675 to start the Aggies on floor. She finished third with a 39.275 behind Nebraska’s Emma Spence (39.650) and Sophia McClelland (39.575).
After the final rotation, Utah State honored its seniors with framed leotards. Carley Bayles, Grace Rojas, Maia Fishwick, Jessica Gutierrez, Aragon, Sullivan, Toomey and team manager Daniel Barclay were the seniors honored.
“I tried not to think about it until after. I was just having fun with my team during it,” Sullivan said. “It’s crazy that I’ve been doing this sport my whole life and now it’s over, but I’ve had such great teammates and such a good experience here. And I’m going to be friends with these girls forever. Like they’re my sisters now so, you know, it was a good feeling just bittersweet.”
White talked about how it can be “surreal” for seniors to reflect on their last home meet.
“I think as a student-athlete all the memories that you have being here at Utah State kinda come back,” White said. “Seven seniors on this team – really proud of everything that they’ve done. So I hope that they walk away with pride in their heart and know that they’ve given everything to this program.”
With their results, Utah State improves to 2-9 on the season. The Aggies will wrap up the regular season next week at a quad-meet featuring California, Ohio State and Stanford before the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships in Cedar City on March 18.
Featured image by Heidi Bingham from the Southern Utah home meet on Feb. 17.