Jan. 22, 2010

Complete Results in html format | USU-SUU Dual Complete Results in PDF Format

CEDAR CITY, Utah -

Freshman Amelia Montoya had career-high scores in three events plus the all-around, as USU totaled 191.225 in a 195.050-191.225 loss at No. 21 Southern Utah Friday night at SUU's Centrum.

USU registered a season-highs of 48.050 on bars and a 47.900 on beam, while also logging a 48.125 on vault and a 47.150 on floor for a 191.225 team total. SUU recorded a 48.875 on both vault and bars, a 48.400 on beam and a 48.850 on floor for its final score of 195.050.

The loss drops USU to 1-4 on the season while SUU improves to 2-0. Even though it was between two Western Athletic Conference gymnastics teams, Friday's dual did not count towards the conference standings.

Friday was USU's eighth-straight loss to SUU, as the Aggies had their series lead trimmed to 36-27. The T-Birds now have a 12-10 lead at Cedar City.

Friday's meet featured USU head coach Jeff Richards facing his former boss, SUU head coach Scott Bauman. Richards was an assistant under Bauman at SUU from 1991-98. The meet was also a match-up between a pair of head coaches leading the opposite's alma mater, as USU's Richards is a 1995 Southern Utah graduate while SUU's Bauman is a 1990 graduate of Utah State. Both head coaches began their coaching careers as student assistants for former Utah State legendary head coach Ray Corn, with Richards coaching from 1988-90 while Bauman was with the Aggies through his 1990 graduation.

Freshman Amelia Montoya was USU's top all-arounder Friday night in second-place, posting a career-best 38.600, her fourth top career score of the night to go with three event career-bests. Junior Lyndsie Boone was third with a season-high 37.950 while sophomore Chelsea Marquardt was fourth with a new career-best score of 37.600.

Senior Heather Heinrich tied for third on floor with a 9.775, while Boone and Heinrich were two-thirds of a three-way tie for fourth on vault with a 9.750.

The Aggies opened on bars, with Boone leading off with a 9.625, tying her season-best. Freshman Amanda Watamaniuk followed with a 9.375 preceding a 9.625 by Marquardt. Fellow sophomore Brandie Dickson then logged a 9.575 before Montoya tallied a 9.675, a new career-high. Junior Jackie Dillon completed USU's rotation with a 9.525, giving the Aggies a 47.900 team total on bars. Heinrich was an exhibition performer and posted a 9.200.

SUU logged a 48.875 on vault to take a .825 lead at 48.875-48.050 after the first rotation.

Swapping apparatus, Marquardt opened the Aggies' vault lineup with a 9.500, tying her top score for the season. Next, Watamaniuk logged a 9.525, then Montoya registered a 9.600, another career-best for the freshman. After a 9.225 by Dillon, Heinrich registered a 9.750, which was matched by Boone. The 9.750 by Boone not only tied Heinrich for fourth but it tied Boone's career-high. Utah State had a 48.125 on vault.

That left the Aggies with a sub-total of 96.175, while the T-Birds had a 97.750 after matching their vault score with an identical 48.875 on bars.

Utah State was on floor for the third rotation, with sophomore Haley Hogan starting off with an 8.825. Marquardt then tallied a 9.550 before sophomore Rachel Flessner followed with an 8.950. Montoya then recorded a 9.675, preceding a 9.200 by Boone. Heinrich completed the USU floor rotation with 9.775, a new season-high.

USU tallied a 47.150 on floor while SUU scored a 48.400 on beam and the T-Birds stretched their lead to 146.150-143.325 entering the fourth and final rotation.

The Aggies were on beam for the final event, with Boone opening things with a 9.350, followed by Flessner with a career-best 9.600. Hogan then logged a season-best 9.650. After an 8.925 by Marquardt, Montoya logged her third career-best score of the night with a 9.650.

Dickson and Heinrich finished first and second in the post-meet handstand contest while the judges totaled their results.

Utah State home-opener is on Friday, Jan. 29, against Boise State. Friday's meet will count toward the WAC standings.

All USU home meets begin at 7 p.m. at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Admission to Utah State gymnastics home meets is $5 for adults and $1 for youth. Fans can buy a women's sports pass for $75 which will gain admittance to all USU women's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics action.

For more 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 and clicking on the "buy/renew tickets" under the "tickets" drop down menu.

Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, and can get score updates. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics.

Live results for Friday's meet are available by clicking on the "Live Results" link at www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics. * Note the link will only work after the start of the meet.

Fans can watch the meet on Friday live online by clicking on the "Watch Live" link at www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics. Fans will have to register and pay a small fee to watch.