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
Saturday, February 4
Salt Lake City, Utah
1:30 PM
University of Utah
196.450
vs
195.725
California
Ute Gymnasts Roar Back to Beat Cal
2/4/2017 5:03 PM | Gymnastics
Big finish gives Utes 196.450-195.725 win
SALT LAKE CITY—Thousands of little superheroes and princesses showed up hours early for the matinee gymnastics meet between No. 4 Utah and No. 15 California on "Character Day" in the Huntsman Center. In contrast, Utah's heroics in its 196.450-195.725 win over Cal didn't show up until the meet was halfway over.
"This meet was a tale of two halves," said co-head coach Tom Farden after seeing his team charge back on beam and floor to stay undefeated (7-0, 2-0 Pac-12) while handing Cal (8-1, 3-1) its first loss.
"I told our young team after the meet that I wanted them to feel comfortable feeling uncomfortable, because that's the kind of pressure they will face in every round of the postseason," said Farden.
The crowd of 15,326—the 11th-largest in school history—was plenty uncomfortable after a pedestrian vault set was followed by a disastrous bar performance. Only Tiffani Lewis, who won bars with a 9.85, looked in peak form and two of Utah's final three performers fell. The mistakes allowed the Bears to move into a tie with the Utes after two rotations at 97.700 apiece.
"I gave a stern lecture to the bar coach!" deadpanned Farden (who coaches the event). "We gathered after bars and I told (the gymnasts) they needed to be aggressive and determined on the beam and finish the meet strong."
He got his wish as the Utes put on their superhero capes for the next two rotations, starting on the balance beam, where their 49.275 score allowed them to retake the lead, 146.975-146.600. Maddy Stover, bumped up to the leadoff position for the first time this season, set the tone with a 9.80. MaKenna Merrell followed with a career-high 9.875 and Utah finished the set strong with a 9.825 from Missy Reinstadtler, 9.85 from MyKayla Skinner, 9.875 from Kari Lee and 9.850 from Baely Rowe.
Buoyed by their beam success, the Utes pulled away on floor, where they scored a 49.450—their best score of the season on any event. Lewis highlighted the front half of the lineup with her season-high 9.90 and Rowe (career-high 9.925) and Skinner (9.95) had the crowd screaming for 10.0's as Utah's final two competitors of the night.
Skinner—the Pac-12's Gymnast of the Week for the first four weeks of the season—stayed undefeated in the all-around (39.500), vault (9.90) and floor (9.95)—in her first collegiate season. Merrell, who finished second to Skinner in the all-around with a 39.375, tied for first on vault (9.90) and beam (9.875). Skinner improved her season victory total to 20 (of a possible 25 individual titles).
Next up for the Utes is Oregon State in Corvallis on Feb. 11.
Players Mentioned
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