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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Utah State's gymnastics team opened the 2019 season at a quad meet hosted by Pittsburgh, falling to No. 22 West Virginia and host Pitt, while defeating Eastern Michigan at the Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday afternoon.

The Mountaineers won the meet with a 195.500, the Panthers finished second with a 194.750, while the Aggies recorded a 194.600, the highest season-opening score in program history, and the Eagles scored a 192.700.

"We're really excited to get the highest season-opening score in the program," said second-year head coach Amy Smith. "It wasn't a pretty meet for us. We had to fight throughout the meet for the outcome we got, but it's a great starting point to build off of. This was also one of the goals we had at the beginning of the preseason, so we were thrilled to accomplish this tonight."

West Virginia (4-2) placed first with a 195.500, anchored by the top two spots in the vault from Kirah Koshinski and Jacquie Tan. Host Pittsburgh (2-1) took second with a 194.750, while Eastern Michigan (0-3) placed fourth at 192.700.

Madison Ward-Sessions garnered two event titles for Utah State, bringing her career total to 24. The senior from Rexburg, Idaho won the bar title, with a 9.825, and tied two others from West Virginia to share the floor title with a 9.900.

"I was a little nervous, but I was able to calm down, focus and make my routines," said Ward-Sessions. "I was happy with how I finished and was happy with how well the team did." 

Utah State began the afternoon with a 48.525 on bars, aided by Ward-Sessions' 9.825. Junior MaKayla Bullitt has a 9.775 to tie for fifth. Junior Madi Tueller, who hasn't competed in three years, scored a 9.600.

"Madi Tueller stepped up on bars and being our anchor was big," said Smith. "For her to step up and get the job done in that kind of pressure is huge."

In the second rotation, the Aggies recorded a 48.350 on beam. Sophomore Autumn DeHarde finished second with a 9.775, while sophomore Leighton Varnadore tied for fourth with a 9.700.

With her 9.900, Ward-Sessions helped Utah State record a team score of 48.875 on floor. DeHarde was the next top Aggie finisher as she earned a score of 9.825 to tie for sixth.

"It's super exciting to break the school record because that's been a goal of ours," said Ward-Sessions. "We have a lot more goals that I know we're able to accomplish, too. I'm super proud of the team and we worked super hard this preseason."

Utah State closed out the meet on vault with a 48.850 as Leighton Varnadore had a career-best 9.800, while Logan Varnadore made her debut on the vault with a 9.725.

"We're just going to go back and work on the little details to put more tenths into our team score next weekend," said Smith. "I'm just so proud of this team."

Utah State is set to open the home portion of its schedule on Friday, Jan. 18, against BYU at 7 p.m.at theDee Glen Smith Spectrum.

For ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Spectrum 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.


Utah State at Pitt Quad Meet - Pittsburgh, Pa. - Fitzgerald Field House - Jan. 12, 2019

Team Results: 1. West Virginia - 195.500 (vault: 49.200, bars: 48.775, beam: 48.250, floor: 49.275); 2. Pittsburgh - 194.750 (vault: 48.950, bars: 48.350, beam: 48.575, floor: 48.875); 3. Utah State - 194.600 (vault: 48.850, bars: 48.525, beam: 48.350, floor: 48.875); 4. Eastern Michigan - 192.700 (vault: 48.850, bars: 48.525, beam: 48.350, floor: 48.875) 

Vault: 1. Kirah Koshinski - WVU, 9.925; 2. Jacquie Tun - WVU, 9.900; T-3. Haley Brechwald - Pitt, 9.850; T-3. Megan Hultgren - EMU, 9.850; T-3. Madison Ward-Sessions - USU, 9.850; 6. Alecia Petrikis - Pitt, 9.825; T-7. Olivia Miller - PitT, 9.800; T-7. Leighton Varnadore - USU, 9.800; T-7. Julia Merwin - WVU, 9.800; T-7. Abby Kaufman - WVU, 9.800; T-11. Sophie Bochenek - Pitt, 9.775; T-11. Emili Dobronics - EMU, 9.775.

Bars: 1. Madison Ward-Sessions - USU, 9.825; T-2. Olivia Miller - Pitt, 9.800; T-2. Lucy Brett - Pitt, 9.800; T-2. Esperanza Abarca - WVU, 9.800; T-5. MaKayla Bullitt - USU, 9.775; T-5. Jacquie Tun - WVU, 9.775; T-5. Sydney Marler - WVU, 9.775; T-8. Sophie Bochenek - Pitt, 9.725; T-8. Leighton Varnadore - USU, 9.725; T-8. Abby Kaufman - WVU, 9.725; T-11. Cortney Bezold - EMU, 9.700; T-11. Chloe Cluchey - WVU, 9.700.

Beam: 1. Brittany West - Pitt, 9.800; 2. Autumn DeHarde - USU, 9.775; 3. Lucy Brett - Pitt, 9.725; T-4. Olivia Miller - Pitt, 9.700; T-4. Leighton Varnadore - USU, 9.700; T-4. Rachel Hornung - WVU, 9.700; T-4. Haley Brechwald - Pitt, 9.675; T-7. Kiley Robatin - Pitt, 9.675; T-7. Emili Dobroncis - EMU, 9.675; T-7. Emily Briones - USU, 9.675; T-7. McKenna Linnen - WVU, 9.675; T-12. Jada Rondeau - EMU, 9.650.

Floor: T-1. Madison Ward-Sessions - USU, 9.900; T-1. Jaquie Tun - WVU, 9.900; T-1. Kirah Koshinski - WVU, 9.900; T-4. Charli Spivey - Pitt, 9.850; T-4. McKenna Linnen - WVU, 9.850; T-6. Autumn DeHarde - USU, 9.825; T-6. Erica Fontaine - WVU, 9.825; T-8. Alecia Petrikis - Pittsburgh, 9.800; T-8. Emily Briones - USU, 9.800; T-8. Abby Kaufman - WVU, 9.800; T-11. Olivia Miller - Pitt, 9.750, T-11. Sophie Bochenek - Pitt, 9.750.

All-Around: 1. Olivia Miller - Pitt, 39.050 (vault: 9.800, bars: 9.800, beam: 9.700, floor: 9.750); 2. Leighton Varnadore - USU, 38.925 (vault: 9.800, bars: 9.725, beam: 9.700, floor: 9.700).

-USU-