Utah State gymnastics drops first home meet of the season to No. 11 Boise State

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State gymnastics fell at home against the No. 11 ranked-Boise State Broncos, 196.425-194.675, in front of 1,610 fans at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Friday Night. With the loss, USU moves to 4-6 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference. Boise State remains perfect on the year, improving to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the MRGC.

Boise State’s Shani Remme won the all-around with a 39.175, including a meet-high 9.850 on beam. Utah State’s senior McKinzey Martinez was the other all-around competitor and scored a 37.600.

The Aggies started the meet on vault, where Utah State set a new season-high with a 48.975. USU was led by a pair of Aggies tying their career-highs, as junior Katie Brown and senior Michelle Yasukochi both tied for second place with a 9.825. Senior Jillian Chappel scored a 9.800 for the second meet in a row, and tied for fifth for her efforts.

“We had great momentum, and that was a great vault turnout for our team,” said USU head coach Nadalie Walsh. “We had been working really hard on sticking those landings, and we had three or four of them. I’m really pleased with my vaulters.”

Utah State then moved to uneven bars, where the Aggies had to count a fall and scored a 48.400. Sophomore Melanie Oster led the way for Utah State with a career-high-tying 9.825 to place third. Sophomore Keri Peel placed tied for fourth with a 9.800, while senior JoAnna Cuba scored a 9.775 to place tied for sixth.

USU advanced to balance beam in the third rotation, and once again had to count a fall in the team score, as the Aggies earned a 48.225. Leading the way for the Utah State was freshman Emily Briones, who scored a 9.800 to tie for fourth. Peel tied her career-high with a 9.775 to place seventh.

“In the middle, we just made some mistakes we don’t normally make,” Walsh said. “I don’t think this is my team’s identity. We just had an off night. We get to be back here next week, and we’ll be better.”

In the final rotation, Utah State moved to floor, where senior Destiny Ezell set a new career-high with a 9.850 to tie for second place and lead all Aggies.

“I haven’t added anything,” Ezell said. “I’ve just been focusing on landing and getting my chest up. My coaches thought that was what I was getting deducted for, and it finally paid off.”

Junior Bailey McIntire recorded 9.825 on floor to tie for fifth. It was the sixth time this season she eclipsed the 9.800 mark on floor. Peel, Martinez and junior Hayley Sanzotti all recorded a 9.800 to tie for seventh.

The Aggie gymnasts are back in action on Friday, March 4, when they host MRGC foe BYU and New Hampshire at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for Senior Night. Action is set to begin at 7 p.m. (MT).

For USU gymnastics ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305, or online 24 hours a day at www.UtahStateAggies.com.

Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, on Facebook at Utah State Gymnastics, and on Instagram at USUGymnastics. Fans can also follow the USU athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at UtahStateAthletics.

Boise State at Utah State – Logan, Utah – Dee Glen Smith Spectrum – February 26, 2016

Team Results: 1. Boise State – 196.425 (vault: 49.000, bars: 49.100, beam: 49.125, floor: 49.200); 2. Utah State – 194.675 (vault: 48.975, bars: 48.400, beam: 48.225, floor: 49.075)

Vault: 1. Maddie Krentz – BSU, 9.850; T-2. Katie Brown – USU, 9.825; T-2. Michelle Yasukochi – USU, 9.825; T-2. Ann Stockwell – BSU, 9.825; T-5. Jillian Chappel – USU, 9.800; T-5. Mackenzie Bennion – USU, 9.800; T-7. Bailey McIntire – USU, 9.775; T-9. McKinzey Martinez – USU, 9.750; 12. Madison Ward – USU, 9.625.

Bars: 1. Krystine Jacobsen – BSU, 9.900; 2. Ann Stockwell – BSU, 9.850; 3. Melanie Oster – USU, 9.825; T-4. Keri Peel – USU, 9.800; T-4. Sandra Collantes – BSU, 9.800; T-6. JoAnna Cuba – USU, 9.775; 10. Madison Ward – USU, 9.725; 11. Bailey McIntire – USU, 9.275; 12. McKinzey Martinez – USU, 9.075.

Beam: T-1. Shani Remme – BSU, 9.850; T-1. Paige Urquhart; 3. Molly McFarland – BSU, 9.825; T-4. Emily Briones – USU, 9.800; T-4. Sarah Means – BSU, 9.800; T-4. Sandra Collantes – BSU, 9.800; 7. Keri Peel – USU, 9.775; T-8. Melanie Oster – USU, 9.725; 10. Hayley Sanzotti – USU, 9.700; 11. Natalie Rainbolt – USU, 9.225; 12. McKinzey Martinez – USU, 8.975.

Floor: 1. Sandra Collantes – BSU, 9.875; T-2. Destiny Ezell – USU, 9.850; T-2. Maddie Krentz – BSU, 9.850; T-2. Marissa Wossner – BSU, 9.850; T-5. Bailey McIntire – USU, 9.825; T-5. Krystine Jacobsen – BSU, 9.825; T-7. Keri Peel – USU, 9.800; T-7. Hayley Sanzotti – USU, 9.800; T-7. McKinzey Martinez – USU, 9.800; 12. Jillian Chappel – USU, 9.625.

All-Around: 1. Shani Remme – BSU, 39.175; 2. McKinzey Martinez – USU, 37.600.

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