UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
January 20, 2023
For Immediate Release
 
Contact: Wade Denniston
(435) 797-1361
 
Utah State Struggles Out of Gate in Dual-Meet Loss to No. 21 Southern Utah
 
CEDAR CITY, Utah – First-year Utah State head gymnastics coach Kristin White knew early on that things were not going to go her team's way on Friday night.
 
The Aggies suffered five falls on the night – three on bars and two on beam – and had another gymnast step out of bounds while completing a pass on her floor routine. As a result, Utah State had two count two falls in its 196.600-193.425 loss to No. 21 Southern Utah in front of a raucous crowd of 2,850 at the America First Event Center.
 
"Coming into the meet, we felt very confident, especially after our first performance last week at the Best of Utah Meet," White said. "We were really excited to get out here and show all the details we've been working on in the gym. Unfortunately, from the minute we started warming up, we just couldn't put it all together and recover.
 
"Those mistakes on bars, those things are going to happen, but we've got to learn, fight and finish the meet, and not let one event affect the rest of the competition."
 
Utah State (1-3, 1-2 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference) began the meet on bars, where the first two gymnasts to compete suffered falls. Junior Brianna Brooks righted the ship for the Aggies when she recorded a season-high 9.875 in the third spot, placing second in the process.
 
Sophomores Dani Kirstine and Amari Evans tied for fourth and placed seventh, respectively, with career-best scores of 9.800 and 9.725 on the event.
 
The Aggies finished with a 47.825 on bars, while the Thunderbirds (7-1, 3-0 MRGC) opened with a 49.025 on vault.
 
"Our biggest takeaway from the meet is we need to stay focused and keep building," Kirstine said. "I think a lot of us came off of that high from the Best of Utah Meet and just thought we could ride it out for the week. But, we still have work to put in, and by the end of season we'll be a really good team."
 
In the second rotation, Brooks tied for fourth with a 9.775, while senior Alivia Ostendorf tied for sixth with a 9.725. Junior Jenna Eagles tied for eighth with a career-high 9.700. Sophomore Payton Gatzlaff also had a 9.700, sophomore Angel Stuart placed 11th with a 9.650 and Evans competed on the event for the first time in her career, placing 12th with a 9.575.
 
The Aggies earned a 48.550 on vault and trailed the Thunderbirds 97.975-96.375 at the midway point of the meet.
 
Freshman Marley Peterson led off the third rotation on floor with a career-high 9.800, tying for seventh. Senior Ariel Toomey placed sixth with a 9.825, while Evans and Ostendorf matched the 9.800 turned in by Peterson. Utah State finished with a 48.875 on the event.
 
In the final rotation, the first two Aggies to go on beam both fell, but the next four hit, highlighted by a 9.825 from senior Sofi Sullivan, who placed fourth on the event.
 
"I know that our athletes are going to get back in the gym, they're going to work hard and they're going to learn from these mistakes we had tonight," White said. "I can't take anything away from them. They've been grinding, they've been working incredibly hard, and I know they're going to put it all together next weekend."
 
Kirstine tied for fifth on beam with a personal-best 9.800 in the sixth spot.
 
"It was very exciting," Kirstine said of her night. "It's been about three, maybe four years, since I've competed on beam, so it was really great to be back out there and have a beam routine like that. Bars was great, too. I know I followed a couple of falls, but I read somewhere that said nervous and excitement are the same thing, and I think I really channeled that. Following the falls, you just have to stay calm and breathe and let your team know that you have their back. 
 
Brooks competed in the all-around for the first time in her career, earning a 38.800 to place second.
 
"I can't say enough great things about BB," White said. "She's an incredibly hard worker. I know she's disappointed in her floor score, but she's going to get in the gym, she's going to keep working hard and she's going to give everything she's got for this team. I'm excited to see her continue to grow in the all-around spot."
 
NEXT MEET
 
The Aggies open their home slate on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m., when they welcome BYU to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for an MRGC Showdown. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.
 
"It's Spectrum Magic night and I can't wait to feel that magic," White said of her team's home opener. "It's going to be our staff's first time in that building with our fans, and just to feel the electricity is going to be amazing. We all know that crowds can help change the outcome of any competition, so I urge all Aggie fans to come out with your family, have a great time, enjoy what our student-athletes are capable of doing in this sport and let's show them the support they deserve and have a magical night." 
 
Utah State at No. 21 Southern Utah | Cedar City, Utah | Maverik Center | January 20, 2023
Team Results: Team Results: 1. Southern Utah – 196.600 (vault: 49.025, bars: 48.950, beam: 49.200, floor: 49.425); 2. Utah State –193.425 (vault: 48.550, bars: 47.825, beam: 48.175, floor: 48.875). 
  
Vault: T1. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.850; T1. Kayla Pardue – SUU, 9.850; 3. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.825 T4. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.775; T4. Briana Brooks – USU, 9.775; T6. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.725; T6. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.725; T8. Anna Hartley – SUU, 9.700; T8. Payton Gatzlaff – USU, 9.700; T8. Jenna Eagles – USU, 9.700; 11. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.650; 12. Amari Evans – USU, 9.575.
 
Bars: 1. Shylen Murakami – SUU, 9.925; 2. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.875; 3. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.850; T4. Isabella Neff – SUU, 9.800; T4. Dani Kirstine – USU, 9.800; 6. Mayson Bentley – SUU, 9.750; 7. Amari Evans – USU, 9.725; 8. Caitlin Kho – SUU, 9.625; 9. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.250; 10. Jessica Gutierrez – USU, 9.175; 11. Avery Bibbey – USU, 9.150; 12. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.025.
 
Beam: 1. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.925; 2. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.900; 3. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.875; 4. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.825; T5. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.800; T5. Dani Kirstine –USU, 9.800; 7. Brianna Brooks –USU, 9.775; 8. Shylen Murakami – SUU, 9.700; 9. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.625; 10. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.150; 11. Jenna Eagles – USU, 9.125; 12. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 8.975.
 
Floor: T1. Rachel Smith – SUU, 9.925; T1. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.925; 3. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.875; T4. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.850; T4. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.850; 6. Ariel Toomey – USU, 9.825; T7. Marley Peterson – USU, 9.800; T7. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.800; T7. Amari Evans – USU, 9.800; 10. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.650; 11. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.375; 12. Taylor Gull – SUU, 8.925.
 
All-Around: 1. Karley McClain – SUU, 39.475; 2. Brianna Brooks – USU, 38.800.
 
-USU-