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SALT LAKE CITY — Emotions were high on Utah gymnastics’ senior day, but so were the scores.
The fifth-ranked Red Rocks won big against the ninth-ranked and Big Ten regular season champs Michigan (197.35), posting a season-high 197.975 in an explosive home finale.
“Hats off to Michigan,” Utah co-head coach Tom Farden said. “They are a well-coached team with lots of talent. They didn’t back down and came in here and did a nice job.”
MyKayla Skinner placed first in the all-around with a 39.70. Seniors MaKenna Merrell-Giles (39.65) and Kari Lee (39.55) placed second and fourth respectively.
Skinner won or tied on three event titles, giving her 100 career victories. She now has 102 wins in three seasons to rank third in program history behind Ashley Postell (120, 2005-2008) and Theresa Kulikowski (112 from 1999-2003).
She won floor with a stunning 9.975 routine and tied for first on bars with Merrell-Giles and Missy Reinstadtler, scoring 9.925. Skinner and Merrell-Giles also tied for first on vault with 9.95.
After the seniors were honored in an emotional pre-meet ceremony, Utah got to work. Lee set the tone with a season-high 9.925 on vault to start competition in front of a roaring crowd.
“As soon as Kari came out of the gates and dropped that vault, I knew it would be a good day,” Farden said. “They were in their element and stayed focused. We had a brilliant week of practice so it was the perfect chemistry to earn one of the highest scores in the country.”
The Red Rocks soared to tie their season-best score on the event with help from Merrell-Giles and Skinner who led the team with 9.95s. It was all Utah at the end of the first rotation as the team had a 49.50-49.20 advantage.
In the next rotation, Utah powered three-straight 9.925s from Merrell-Giles, Reinstadtler and Skinner to round up the lineup. The Red Rocks opted to compete with just five gymnasts with Hunter Dula out with the flu. It proved not to be an issue as Utah’s 49.45 effort was its highest on bars since Jan. 26 when it earned 49.50. It kept the team ahead 98.95-98.525 at the meet’s midway point.
Utah hit all six beam routines in the third rotation to the tune of Taylor Swift songs to honor Lee, who is a long-time Swift fan. Lee and Alexia Burch started the lineup with team-leading back-to-back 9.90s, but scores were harder to come by as the lineup continued. A 49.35 from Utah and a 49.475 from Michigan’s floor lineup narrowed Utah’s lead 148.30-148.0 with one rotation to go.
With the meet up for grabs, the Red Rocks knew they had to finish with a bang. Michigan produced three 9.925s on beam while Utah erupted with four 9.925s and a 9.975 from Skinner to score a season-high 49.675 on floor.
Utah enters its bye week before finishing the regular season at Georgia on Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m. MDT.
