For junior Theresa Kulikowski, Friday’s meet at Utah State was a glorious return to the all-around after a two-year absence.
However, for her gymnastics comrades, competing in their third straight away meet due to the Olympic madness, it wasn’t so glorious?but it was a 196.350 to 193.600 win in Logan for the No. 2 Utes over the Aggies.
After two consecutive weeks where the Utes suffered two misses and thus had to count a fall on a single event, the Red Rocks had to count a fall in two events.
“I really think I have to take the blame,” Utah coach Greg Marsden said. “I’ve been tough on the team and put a lot of pressure on them.
“All of our mistakes were people trying too hard. We need to get back to competing with emotion and not trying so hard to be perfect.”
Utah had to count a fall on bars and beam. Falls by Annabeth Eberle and Shannon Bowles on bars resulted in a 48.850 team score, overshadowing Kulio’s 9.950 and Veronique LeClerc’s 9.925.
On beam, a team score of 48.900 was the result of LeClerc’s 8.950 and Eberle’s 9.300, despite a 9.975 by Bowles.
However, for the first time this year, the U’s vault score exceeded all of its other events. Utah turned in a 49.350, highlighted by a 9.950 by Kulio and 9.900s by LeClerc and Eberle.
Meanwhile, Kulikowski’s first all-around since tearing her ACL Jan. 28, 2000, was a gigantic success. Kulikowski turned in a career high 39.800, narrowly besting her old high of 39.750, including her tenth career 10.0, which was the third of her career on the beam.
Kulio’s 39.800 tied for third on the all-time all-around Utah list. Kulio tied a 1993 performance by former Ute Kristen Kenoyer. Suzanne Metz owns the top all around score in U history, a 39.950 in 1995.
Kulio was one of five all arounders for the Utes. Sophomore Melissa Vituj finished second in the all-around, well behind Kulio at 39.450. But two falls by LeClerc and Eberlee and one by Bowles dropped their scores.
Next Friday, Utah travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to take on the Wolverines. Utah returns to the Huntsman Center March 9, when it hosts Oregon State.