Utah State gymnastics records season-high 196.175 in loss to No. 21 Southern Utah – Cache Valley Daily


Photo by Robert K. Scott

LOGAN, Utah – What a difference a week can make.

After recording its season-low score against Boise State last week, Utah State enjoyed its best outing of the season with a season-high 196.175 against No. 21 Southern Utah on Friday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Thunderbirds won the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference dual meet with a 197.125.

I am really excited for our student-athletes,” said first-year Utah State head coach Kristin White. “This team has been through a lot these last six or seven weeks, having to change the lineup every week because of some sort of adversity that we faced. For them to come out tonight and just believe in the six athletes we had competing on each event was amazing.”

The announced crowd of 3,299 was a season high for the Aggies (1-7, 1-6 MRGC) and the 16th-largest in school history.

“It was so exciting,” said Utah State junior all-arounder Brianna Brooks. “Just seeing the amount of people was crazy. I loved it.”

White agreed.

To have that kind of support from our fans is amazing,” she said. “Aggie Nation is incredible with all of our student-athletes and all of our sports. I can’t thank them enough for coming out tonight.”

Brooks finished second in the all-around with a personal-best 39.300. The native of Las Vegas, Nevada, tied for fifth on vault (9.800), tied for first on bars (career-high-tying 9.900), tied for third on beam (personal-best-tying 9.900) and placed 11th on floor (9.700).

“We came in with a chip on our shoulder and we were ready to get it done,” Brooks said. “We wanted to do it for each other more than anything and we were going to come in and show what were really made of. We finally did it, and it was exciting to see.”

Southern Utah (11-7, 7-0 MRGC) proved why it is the best team in the MRGC as the Thunderbirds recorded at least a 49.200 on each event. The Thunderbirds’ Karley McClain won the all-around with a 39.475, also tying for first on beam with a 9.925.

Utah State opened the meet on vault and recorded a 48.700, highlighted by Brooks’ 9.800. SUU began on bars and finished with a 49.275.

In the second rotation, Brooks’ 9.900 on bars helped the Aggies record a 49.175, their second-highest score of the season on the event. Sophomore Dani Kirstine tied for third with a career-high-tying 9.875 and freshman Avery Bibbey tied for sixth with a personal-best 9.850.

“We had fun,” Brooks said. “We went into this meet and had great warmups and great energy. We also had each other’s backs. It was really cool to see, because we were excited to be here and we were having fun.”

On beam in the third rotation, Utah State notched a season-best 49.075. Following Brooks in third place was senior Sofi Sullivan in fifth with a 9.850.

Closing the meet on floor, senior Ariel Toomey placed first with a career-best 9.925 as the Aggies had a 49.225, their second-highest team score of the season on the event. Senior Alivia Ostendorf tied for second with a 9.875, while sophomore Payton Gatzlaff and junior Jenna Eagles tied for seventh with 9.825s, both career highs.

This was Utah State’s first meet since sophomore Amari Evans suffered a season-ending injury a week ago against Boise State. The Aggies definitely had their teammate on their collective minds Friday night.

“We lost a big part of our team with Amari, and I feel like a part of us did it for her,” Brooks said. “She was with us at practice doing all that she could, playing a new role on the team. And, we just wanted to do it for each other. We had a different mentality coming into the meet and it paid off.”

NEXT MEET

 

Utah State heads to Utah County for its final MRGC regular-season meet against BYU on Friday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., at the Smith Fieldhouse in Provo.

NEXT HOME MEET

 

The Aggies conclude the home portion of their schedule on Friday, March 3, when they welcome a pair of teams to the Spectrum. Alaska and Nebraska will both join Utah State for a Senior Night tri meet. Tickets can be purchased here.

No. 21 SUU at Utah State | Logan, Utah | Dee Glen Smith Spectrum | February 17, 2023 

Team Results: 1. Southern Utah – 197.125 (vault: 49.200, bars: 49.275, beam: 49.450, floor: 49.200); 2. Utah State – 196.175 (vault: 48.700, bars: 49.175, beam: 49.075, floor: 49.225).

Vault: 1. Kayla Pardue – SUU, 9.875; T2. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.850; T2. Caitlin Kho – SUU, 9.850; 4. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.825; T5. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.800; T5. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.800; 7. Payton Gatzlaff – USU, 9.775; T8. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.750; T8. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.750; 10. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.725; 11. Jenna Eagles – USU, 9.650; 12. Chelsea Southam – USU, 9.050.

Bars: T1. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.900; T1. Mayson Bentley – SUU, 9.900; T3. Dani Kirstine – USU, 9.875; T3. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.875; T3. Shylen Murakami – SUU, 9.875; T6. Avery Bibbey – USU, 9.850; T6. Caitlin Kho – SUU, 9.850; T8. Jessica Gutierrez – USU, 9.775; T8. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.775; T8. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.775; 11. Isabella Neff – SUU, 9.725; 12. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.600.

Beam: 1. T1. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.925; T1. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.925; T3. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.900; T3. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.900; T5. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.850; T5. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.850; T5. Shylen Murakami – SUU, 9.850; T5. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.850; 9. Carley Bayles – USU, 9.800; 10. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.775; 11. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.750; 12. Dani Kirstine – USU, 9.125.

Floor: 1. Ariel Toomey – USU, 9.925; T2. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.875; T2. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.875; T2. Taylor Gull – SUU, 9.875; T5. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.850; T5. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.850; T7. Payton Gatzlaff – USU, 9.825; T7. Jenna Eagles – USU, 9.825; 9. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.775; 10. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.750; 11. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.700; 12. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.650.

All-Around: 1. Karley McClain – SUU, 39.475; 2. Brianna Brooks – USU, 39.300.







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