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SALT LAKE CITY — Sounding like a broken record, the fourth-ranked Utah gymnastics team put together another 197 performance, defeating No. 23 Arizona 197.075-195.40 in front of 15,558 fans in the Huntsman Center. The Red Rocks’ undefeated season now stands at five-straight meets with a score in the 197s.
While Utah crushed Arizona, the win didn’t come without some adversity. After a less-than-ideal start on beam, the Red Rocks were forced to score 49.45 on floor to continue their 197-score streak. Adding to the pressure was the fact that the nation’s second-ranked all-around gymnast, MyKayla Skinner, was held out of the floor lineup due to a sore ankle.
Before the last rotation, Utah assistant coach Robert Ladanyi “lit a fire” and told the gymnasts what they had to do to keep their streak alive.
“He told us to keep playing the game and that we had one more chance to up our score,” MaKenna Merrell-Giles said.
His words worked as the Red Rocks went on to score a season-high 49.525 on floor.
“It was an unbelievable floor set,” Utah co-head coach Tom Farden said. “We crawled our way to a 197, but it’s still 75 percent of what this team’s potential is and I am going to hold them to a higher standard.”
Utah won every event and the all-around. Alexia Burch locked in her first event title with a career-high 9.90 on vault. Merrell-Giles and Skinner tied for first on bars with 9.90s. Kari Lee earned gold with a 9.925 on beam while Adrienne Randall took floor with a career-best 9.95. Merrell-Giles (39.50) and Lee (39.475) also took first and second in the all-around.
The Red Rocks started the night well with the first five gymnasts posting 49.325 on vault. Utah’s coaches were pleased with the effort and decided not to use their sixth vault. In the second rotation, Utah extended its lead with a 49.30 bars set to lead 98.625-97.20 at the meet’s midway point.
The third rotation on beam started shaky with Burch falling as the leadoff. Shannon McNatt followed, only scoring 9.60.
The rest of the lineup needed to keep it together. Merrell-Giles answered with a 9.825, then Lee wowed with a 9.925 performance.
“I wasn’t thinking about what happened prior,” Lee said. “I was just in the moment. It was a relief when I hit that.”
Randall followed with focused demeanor and put up 9.825. Skinner uncharacteristically wobbled her way to a 9.75.
“They are talented on beam,” Farden said. “They’re just trying a little too hard.”
Farden said that what’s frustrating is that the team isn’t making mistakes on beam in practice, yet there’s at least one break in every meet.
The 48.925 event total had Utah well in the lead (147.55-146.40), but the 197 streak was in question. Utah assembled and scored big despite Skinner's absence to continue its record-setting start to the season.
Next for Utah is a home date with No. 18 California on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. MST.
