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 5
Salt Lake City
7:00 PM
University of Utah
196.575
vs
195.725
Nebraska
Ute Gymnasts Rally Late for Win over Nebraska
3/5/2010 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
March 5, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY--The No. 9 ranked Utah gymnasts rallied on the fourth and final event to beat No. 11 Nebraska 196.575-195.725 before a gathering of 14,726 in the Huntsman Center.
Utah fell behind on the third rotation when a 48.85 on the balance beam allowed Nebraska to take a 0.125 lead. The Utes made up that difference and then some, by erupting for a season-high 49.425 on the floor--their best score on any apparatus this season. A series of 9.90-or-better scores in the last half of the floor lineup, aided by two Nebraska falls on beam, contributed to the final margin of victory.
"This was a step in the right direction," said Utah coach Greg Marsden. "Obviously, we still need to improve on some things, but we got back on the right track. We had a couple of falls that we shouldn't be having at this point in the season, but the team rallied and we didn't have to count a fall."
Annie DiLuzio's 9.95 on vault and floor were the most spectacular routines, but Utah's four all-arounders turned in a nice night, as well, sweeping the top four places. Daria Bijak won her fourth all-around title of the season with a season-best 39.425 score, followed by Jamie Deetscreek (39.275), Kyndal Robarts (39.250) and Stephanie McAllister (39.175).
Utes captured every event title, with DiLuzio winning vault and floor, and Deetscreek winning beam and tying for first on bars with Bijak.
Utah took the lead from the outset, despite a fall on the very first routine from freshman Meg Whitney, competing for her first time in the Huntsman Center. The rest of the lineup didn't skip a beat, rolling to a 49.30--Utah's best vault score since Jan. 22. Especially impressive was a career-tying 9.95 by DiLuzio, a season-best 9.875 by Bijak and a 9.875 by Robarts, who saw her string of vault wins stopped at seven. It was the first time Robarts failed to post the best Ute score on vault this season. After one rotation, Utah was up 49.300-48.925.
On bars, Robarts scored a 9.675 as the leadoff--a score that would count when Jacquelyn Johnson fell on the next routine. It was the first fall of Johnson's career. She was 7-of-7 prior to the fall and 9-of-9 for her career. Again, the remaining Utes stayed aggressive, especially Deetscreek and Bijak at the end of the lineup, who scored back-to-back 9.875s--the best score of the night. After two rotations, Utah's lead had dwindled to 0.125 (98.300-98.175).
Utah stayed aboard the beam after two weeks counting a fall, but bobbles in the front of the lineup cost the Utes their lead. Deetscreek (9.875) and Robarts (9.80) were the only Utes to reach 9.80. A 48.85 team score was no match for Nebraska's 49.100 on floor. Heading into the final event, Utah trailed 147.250-147.150.
Career-tying performances early in the lineup by Johnson (9.80) and McAllister (9.85) kept Utah in the game, and then Bijak (9.925), Robarts (9.90) and DiLuzio (9.95) reeled in the win.
Utah improves to 7-2 on the year while Nebraska falls to 13-3.
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