The University of Utah gymnastics team is headed to Tempe, Ariz. this Saturday, Feb. 25 as it gets ready to compete against Arizona State.
The Red Rocks are coming off of a win this past weekend after they defeated No. 4 UCLA, 197.875-197.500, in the Huntsman Center. Despite beating the Bruins, the Red Rocks remained at No. 5.
Co-head coach Megan Marsden thought the meet against UCLA was a “magical night,” because of the way the team responded to the ESPN coverage, a sold-out crowd, and an overall heated battle.
“They listened to Tom [Farden] and I with our training and competition plan, which was an attempt to work a little more calmly and be able to do their routines more like they have been doing them in training,” Marsden said. “I felt like we had more athletes do that on more routines and making it what we felt like was 24-for-24 routines hit.”
Although facing a team that was ranked higher and featured two former Olympians (Madison Kocian, 2016 Olympian, and Kyla Ross, 2012 Olympian) could have been a little daunting, according to Marsden, it will benefit the team down the stretch. Marsden hopes her girls remember all the little details in the next meet, because it won’t be the last time they will be in a tough competition.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s meet, freshman MyKayla Skinner, an Arizona native, is excited to go back home.
Skinner thought that she and the team performed well this past weekend as they tried not to overdo anything, but there are still some things they can work on if they want to walk away with another win. If the Red Rocks go out on the floor against ASU and do what they do in practice, they will be just as solid as they were against UCLA.
“I always went to the ASU meets [growing up] and there are a couple of girls on the team that I’ve grown up with in gymnastics, so it will be really fun,” Skinner said. “My whole family is going to be there, too, so I think I am just ready to go out there, have fun and just keeping doing what I’m doing.”
While the team is riding a high from its most recent win, sophomore Macey Roberts and the rest of the team are using it as a confidence-booster going against ASU, she agrees the Red Rocks still have some stuff to work on.
“I think we need to stop trying to be so perfect,” Roberts said. “We are all trying to stick those landings too hard where we can’t stick them.”
The meet is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. MT.
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