April 6, 2002

Final Stats

DENVER, Colo. - Utah State gymnastics took sixth at the 2002 NCAA North Central regional competition in Denver, Colo., Saturday with a team score of 193.400. The Aggies ended their season at 7-20. Saturday marked the first time since 1997 USU finished sixth or lower in regional competition, as the Aggies finished seventh in 1997.

No. 3 Georgia and No. 10 Stanford advance to the national championship meet April 20, tying for first place with identical scores of 196.125. No. 13 Denver was third with a 196.000, while No. 23 Missouri was fourth (195.000) and Air Force Academy was fifth (193.775).

USU started the meet on vault, posting a 48.450 team score in the event. Jessenia Abrego led the Aggies, scoring a 9.775. Nicole Kilpatrick and Stephanie Gordon each scored 9.700s, while Kyla Mattioli and Jessica Rands recorded 9.650 and 9.625, respectively. Gordon's 9.700 was a season high.

After taking a bye in the second round, the Aggies scored a 48.400 on bars, their lowest team score in the event since March 2. Freshman Katie Rutherford led USU in the event, posting a 9.750. Freshman Nalani Chung scored a 9.725, while Kirra Seeley scored a 9.700.

The Aggies were sixth after the second complete rotation with a team score of 96.850. At that point in the meet, Stanford led (98.375), Georgia was second (98.150), Denver and Missouri were tied for third (97.625) and Air Force was fifth (96.900).

On beam, USU scored a 48.100, with Seeley's 9.750 leading the Aggies. Rutherford scored a 9.675, while Kilpatrick and Allison Rosenthal each recorded 9.600s. Abrego's 9.475 rounded out USU's scoring on beam.

USU sat during the fifth rotation and ended the meet on floor, posting at 48.425, also its lowest score on floor since Feb. 27 against Boise State. Gordon set another season-high score with a 9.800, while Mattioli and Rosenthal each scored a 9.700. Kilpatrick posted a 9.600, while Abrego's 9.625 was her lowest since a 9.150 against Boise State on Feb. 27. Saturday concludes the Aggies' 25th season of gymnastics.

2002 NCAA NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL TEAM SCORES

1T. Stanford (196.125),1T. Georgia (196.125),3. Denver (196.000),4. Missouri (195.000),5. Air Force Academy (193.775)6. UTAH STATE (193.400)

USU SCORES BY EVENT

VAULT (48.450, Event champion: Marline Stephens, Georgia, 9.925)1. Jessenia Abrego (9.775)2T. Stephanie Gordon (9.700)2T. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.700)4. Kyla Mattioli (9.650)5. Jessica Rands (9.625)6. Rachel Ropelato (9.525)BARS (48.400, Event champion: Caroline Fluhrer, Stanford, 9.925)1. Katie Rutherford (9.750)2. Nalani Chung (9.725)3. Kirra Seeley (9.700)4. Kimberly Scharman (9.650)5. Jessenia Abrego (9.575)6. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.275)BEAM (48.100, Event champion: Lise Leveille, Stanford, Lindsay Wing, Stanford, Cory Fritzinger, Georgia, Sierra Sapunar, Georgia, 9.900)1.Kirra Seeley (9.750)2. Katie Rutherford (9.675)3T. Allison Rosenthal (9.600)3T. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.600)5. Jessenia Abrego (9.475)6. Kimberly Scharman (9.450)FLOOR (48.425, Event champion: Marline Stephens, Georgia, Talya Vexler, Georgia, 9.950) 1. Stephanie Gordon (9.800)2T. Kyla Mattioli (9.700)2T. Allison Rosenthal (9.700)4. Jessenia Abrego (9.625)5. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.600)6. Kirra Seeley (9.550)ALL-AROUND (Champion: Lindsay Wing, Stanford, 39.500, Alisha Robinson, Missouri, 39.500)Jessenia Abrego (38.450)Nicole Kilpatrick (38.175)