Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championship Final on April 19, 2025 , , 4th of 4 (197.2375)
Final Score
Gymnastics
4th of 4 (197.2375)
vs NCAA Championship Final
Friday, March 14
Gainesville, Fla.
7:00 PM
University of Utah
197.700
at
196.875
Florida
Ute Gymnasts Lose To No. 3 Florida
3/14/2008 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
March 14, 2008
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
The No. 2 ranked Utah gymnasts suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of No. 3 Florida, 197.70-196.875. The Utes didn't give the meet away by any means, hitting 24-of-24 routines, but found themselves in a hopeless game of catch up against a Florida team on a tear.
Marsden, while disappointed in the margin of defeat, liked what he saw from his team. "I felt it was a step in the right direction again. We were much better than a week ago, and despite being in a tough environment, the girls did a good job. Can we do better? Yes. We ran up against a Florida team that was on fire but we did a nice job."
Even though Ute senior Ashley Postell saw her all-around win streak stop at seven (eight including last year's NCAA Super Six finish), Marsden felt his biggest star also is headed back in the right direction. "Ashley upgraded her floor routine to an Arabian double front, a one-and-half punch front and a triple twist at the end, and she executed everything beautifully. On beam, she had a problem on her flick lay because she is still pressing too much, but I think she's getting back on track."
Postell, who didn't like how she executed her bar routine either, was Utah's top all-around finisher with a 39.425, but finished behind four Gator gymnasts led by Amanda Castillo with a 39.625. Postell did win her seventh vault title of the year, scoring a 9.95, and Kristina Baskett tied for first on the bars with a 9.90 - the seventh win for her on that event.
Florida jumped into 49.375-49.050 lead on the first rotation, aided by back-to-back 9.90 scores early in the lineup. On bars, all six Utes made it through their routines successfully, but the result was their third-lowest score of the year. Baskett's 9.90 was the only score above a 9.825, and two Utes scored below a 9.80.
The nation's top-ranked vault team couldn't narrow the gap in rotation two, although all six Utes again completed their routines without a hitch. Kyndal Robarts (9.90), Baskett (9.90) and Postell (9.95) were the big scorers in a 49.40 set, with Postell picking up her seventh win of the year on the apparatus. Robarts' 9.90 tied her career best. Even a victory on the vault (Florida scored a 49.375), Utah couldn't gain ground, since the Gators were piling up their best bar score of the year - a 49.40. As a result, Florida maintained its 0.325 lead, 98.775-98.450.
Utah's first four gymnasts on floor showed off some impressive tumbling and difficulty, although none reached 9.90 territory. Bijak came close with a 9.875 and Robarts and DiLuzio received 9.85s. Baskett was the only Ute of the night to run into any real trouble on an event - stepping out of bounds and scoring a 9.625. Her error didn't affect Postell, who performed a spectacular routine. It was one of the finest floor performances ever for the two-time NCAA runner-up, despite the 9.90 result. Utah scored a 49.25 - losing another half a tenth's ground. After three events, Florida led 148.100-147.700.
Utah finished with a solid performance on the beam other than Postell's problem in the middle of her routine. Even had she scored in the range of her nation's best 9.915 regional qualifying score (she had a 9.80), it wouldn't have made a dent in the difference due to an explosive night for Florida on the floor, which scored a season-best 49.60.
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