CORVALLIS, Ore. (ABC4 Sports) – The #4 Utah Gymnastics came up short on Saturday afternoon to the #13 Oregon State Beavers, falling 197.950-197.700 at Gill Coliseum. Despite the loss, Utah earned a share of the Pac-12 Regular Season Championship to continue its streak of earning at least a share of the regular season title since its inception in 2020. Utah won the title outright in 2020 and 2021, while earning a share in 2022 and 2023.
Utah jumped out to an early lead thanks to a 49.550 on bars to start the meet. Amelie Morgan led off the team with a 9.875 and Makenna Smith added a 9.85. Abby Brenner earned the first 9.90 of the day in the third spot, while Sage Thompson continued the momentum with a season-high 9.95. Maile O’Keefe followed with a 9.875 and Cristal Isa put an exclamation point on the rotation with another 9.95, which went on to earn a share of the event title with Thompson and a pair of Beavers.
The Red Rocks rotated to vault and O’Keefe kicked off the event with a 9.775. Brenner posted a 9.90 the following routine, but the Utes couldn’t quite build up as Jaylene Gilstrap and Smith scored consecutive 9.825s. Jaedyn Rucker followed with another 9.90 and the Utes would finish with those five scores as Lucy Stanhope was unable to find her landing in the anchor spot. Utah’s 49.225 on vault pushed Oregon State to a slight advantage, leading 98.850-98.775 at the halfway point.
Brenner began the floor rotation with a 9.875, while Gilstrap and Abby Paulson looked to keep building and each recorded 9.90s. Smith posted a 9.875, but Rucker was only able to add a 9.70. Looking to drop Rucker’s score, O’Keefe did just that and tallied a team-best 9.925. Despite the 49.475 on floor, Utah saw Oregon State extend the lead to 148.400-148.250 entering the final rotation in Corvallis after the Beavs posted a 49.550 on beam.
Utah’s beam team got to work with a 9.825 from Morgan in the leadoff spot, while Smith rounded out her night in the all-around with a 9.875. Paulson and Isa earned consecutive 9.925s to keep the hopes of a comeback alive, but a mishap on choreography coming down from her mount caused O’Keefe to come off the beam. Gilstrap posted a career high 9.90 under pressure to drop O’Keefe’s score, but the win for Utes had already become out of reach due to the Beavers’ efforts on floor.
Utah will look to defend its Pac-12 title next weekend at the 2023 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, March 18. The Red Rocks will compete in the evening session at 6 p.m. MT at the Maverik Center in West Valley City.
