LOGAN, Utah – No. 14 Utah State gymnastics closed out the home portion of its 2022 schedule in emphatic fashion.
 
The Aggies notched their highest home score in school history with a 196.725 as they defeated No. 23 Towson on Sunday afternoon at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Tigers finished with a season-best road score of a 196.000.
 
"We told the team in the locker room before they came out to compete, that they are one of the best Utah State gymnastics teams in the history of this program," said fifth-year Utah State head coach Amy Smith. "In setting that record today, they really showed that. They really put their stamp on it and said, 'Yeah we are.'
 
"I really feel like we were doing 197 gymnastics today. There were a few little things here and there, but the performance, the gymnastics and the quality of it, is what we have been looking for. It is really exciting that they found that next gear. Now, we need to hit the gasoline on the next gear."
 
Utah State's 196.725, which is also the fifth-best overall score in program history, bested the previous home record of 196.675, set against North Carolina State on March 14, 2003.
 
"It's awesome, because everything was put together today like we do in practice," said Utah State freshman Brie Clark, who captured two event titles on the day. "This is such a special and talented team. Today was amazing, but I feel like we are even better than what we showed today and that's really exciting."
 
The Aggies (9-6) posted the top score on all four events, while junior Rebecca Wells won the all-around (38.250) for the sixth time this year, which is tied for third in a single season. She also won the all-around this past Friday in Utah State's home tri meet against these same Tigers (12-6) and Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference-rival BYU.
 
Utah State opened the meet on vault, where freshmen Molly Arnold and Trinity Brown each landed a 9.850 to tie for first. For Arnold, it was a career-best score, and her first-career title. Towson began on bars and was led by Steph Macasu, who had a 9.850 to tie for first.
 
Following the first rotation, the Tigers led the Aggies 49.050-48.925.
 
 
Highlighted by a trio of 9.850s from Wells, sophomore Eve Jackson and junior Maia Fishwick, who all tied for first on the event, the Aggies notched a 49.175 on bars in the second rotation.
 
Wells has captured 12 titles on the season now, which ranks fourth in single-season junior class history.
 
In the third rotation, Utah State had another 49.175, this time on beam. Four Aggies placed in the top four, including Clark with a 9.875 to capture the title. Sophomore Brianna Brooks and junior Sofi Sullivan tied for second with matching 9.850s, and senior Carley Bayles tied for fourth with a 9.825.
 
Heading into the fourth and final rotation, Utah State owned just a 147.275-147.175 lead over Towson.
 
The Aggies made sure to widen that gap by the time the dust settled on the meet, though. Utah State closed with a 49.450 on floor, which ranks sixth all-time in school history. Clark captured the title on the event with a career-high-tying 9.950, which is tied for third in program history.
 
Clark now has seven floor titles on the year, which is tied for fourth in a single season, and her eight titles overall is tied for ninth in single-season freshman class history.
 
Jackson and Brown tied for third on floor with a pair of 9.900s. It marked the third meet in a row Jackson has recorded her personal best on the event.
 
"Like I said, the gymnastics that we did today was at the caliber that we are at, and what we expect and what we're shooting for," Smith said. "It was a huge jump today in performance and intention – all of that. It was special to see the team make that next step up."
 
The Aggies will be on the road for the entire month of March, beginning on Sunday, March 6, when they travel to the Evergreen State to take on Washington and Stanford in a tri meet at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington.
 
For more information on the Utah State gymnastics program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUGymnastics, on Facebook at UtahStateGymnastics and on Instagram at USUGymnastics.
 
No. 23 Towson at No. 14 Utah State – Logan, Utah – Dee Glen Smith Spectrum – February 27, 2022
 
Team Results: 1. Utah State – 196.725 (vault: 48.925; bars: 49.175; beam: 49.175; floor: 49.450); 2. Towson 196.000 (vault: 48.850; bars: 49.050; beam: 48.825; floor: 49.275).
 
Vault: T1. Trinity Brown – Utah State, 9.850; T1. Molly Arnold – Utah State, 9.850; T1. Lauren Bolen – Towson, 9.850; T4. Brie Clark – Utah State, 9.800; 8. Brianna Brooks – Utah State, 9.725; T9. Rebecca Wells – Utah State, 9.700; T11. Eve Jackson – Utah State, 9.675.
 
Bars: T1. Rebecca Wells – Utah State, 9.850; T1. Eve Jackson – Utah State, 9.850; T1. Maia Fishwick – Utah State, 9.850; T1. Steph Macasu – Towson, 9.850; T5. Brianna Brooks – Utah State, 9.825; T7. Jessica Gutierrez – Utah State, 9.800; 12. Grace Rojas – Utah State, 9.250.
 
Beam: 1. Brie Clark – Utah State, 9.875; T2. Brianna Brooks – Utah State, 9.850; T2. Sofi Sullivan – Utah State, 9.850; T4. Carley Bayles – Utah State, 9.825; T7. Kielyn McCright – Utah State, 9.775; T10. Rebecca Wells – Utah State, 9.700.
 
Floor: 1. Brie Clark – Utah State, 9.950; 2. Nikki Borkowski – Towson, 9.925; T3. Eve Jackson – Utah State, 9.900; T3. Trinity Brown – Utah State, 9.900; T5. Molly Arnold – Utah State, 9.875; T8. Amari Evans – Utah State, 9.825; 12. Rebecca Wells – Utah State, 9.000.
 
All-Around: 1. Rebecca Wells – Utah State, 38.250.
 
-USU-