Jan. 19, 2003
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State freshman gymnast Meagan Nelson scored 39.050 in the all-around Sunday, her second 39.000-plus all-around score in as many meets, as the Utah State gymnastics team (2-2) finished second of three teams at Oklahoma. Host Oklahoma (3-5) won the meet (195.950), USU scored 192.875 and Boise State (0-2) finished third (191.475) in its season-opener.
Nelson took third in the all-around, as Oklahoma's Patricia Aoki and Christy Gerard finished first and second, respectively. Nelson also finished third on floor with 9.875 and tied her career-best score, set last week. USU senior Nicole Kilpatrick finished fourth (38.825). Kilpatrick was USU's top vault and bars finisher. She tied for first on vault (9.775) and was third on bars (9.750).
Utah State sophomore Rachel Ropelato had a career-best score on bars, where she posted a 9.725 and tied Nelson for the second-best score on the USU squad Sunday.
"We showed a lot of improvement over last weekend's meet at Cal State Fullerton," head coach Ray Corn said. "I really believe that as this team learns how to start the meet strong - to not be tentative at the beginning of the meet - and to not back off at the end, we will be successful. Those are things that come only with experience."
The Aggies' 49.025 on floor is the first time since March 16, 2001 that USU scored above 49.000 in the event. Additionally, the Aggies took second to No. 11 Oklahoma on every event except beam, where USU finished third with 47.550.
USU's home opener is Friday, Jan. 24 against Boise State at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
TOP THREE RESULTS BY TEAM OKLAHOMA 195.950, UTAH STATE 192.875, BOISE STATE 191.475
VAULT (OU 48.575, USU 48.225, BSU 47.025)USU - 1T. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.775)5T. Meagan Nelson (9.700)8T. Sarah Colson (9.650)OU - 1T. Patricia Aoki (9.775)3. Katie Hostler (9.750)4. Meredith Fricke (9.725)BSU - 5T. Kea Cuaresman (9.700)10. Katie Dinsmore (9.600)15. Breanne Holmes (9.325)
BARS (OU 48.700, USU 48.075, BSU 46.700)USU - 3. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.750)4T. Rachel Ropelato (9.725)4T. Meagan Nelson (9.725)OU - 1. Allison Landis (9.850)2. Erin Labarr (9.775)4T. Christy Gerard (9.725)BSU - 8. Carla Chambers (9.675)10. Kea Cuaresman (9.600)11. Breanne Holmes (9.475)
BEAM (OU 49.25, BSU 48.850, USU 47.550)USU - 9. Meagan Nelson (9.750)13. Ashley Young (9.625)15. Liesel Kohler (9.500)OU -1T. Christy Gerard (9.875)1T. Kelly Haggerty (9.875)1T. Allison Landis (9.875)BSU - 4T. Heidi White (9.825)7T. Carla Chambers (9.775)7T. Katie Dinsmore (9.775)
FLOOR (OU 49.425, USU 49.025, BSU 48.925)USU - 3T. Meagan Nelson (9.875)7T. Nicole Kilpatrick (9.825)10T. Liesel Kohler (9.800)OU - 1. Patricia Aoki (9.925)2. Katie Hostler (9.900)3. Meredith Fricke (9.875)BSU - 7T. Tiffany Putnam (9.825)10T. Carla Chambers (9.800)10T. Katie Dinsmore (9.800)
ALL-AROUNDUSU -3. Meagan Nelson (39.050)4. Nicole Kilpatrick (38.825)OU - 1. Patricia Aoki (39.225)2. Christy Gerard (39.125)BSU - 5. Carla Chambers (38.500)
