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BERKELEY, Calif. — In its second-straight week on the road, No. 4 Utah gymnastics once again faced competition that went down to the wire. But unlike last week, the Red Rocks came up short as they lost their first Pac-12 meet of the season, 197.50-197.45. It was the second time ever Utah (8-2, 5-1 Pac-12) lost to No. 21 California (7-4, 3-3) — the first came in the semifinals of the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Tied with one routine left for both teams, California’s Toni-Ann Williams performed a near-perfect routine to earn 9.975, securing the upset. Williams wasn’t slated to compete on floor, but with Utah’s 0.15 lead heading into the last rotation, California coaches added the senior to the lineup.
“Cal is a very good team and we needed to be clean to beat them,” Utah co-head coach Tom Farden said. “We were not refined today. We were flat from the beginning, and I felt like we didn’t have the same mentality as we did a week ago.”
Utah tested its depth as MyKayla Skinner, who rested a sore ankle, was held out of the vault and floor lineups for the first time in her career. While the sophomore couldn’t contribute in her specialty events, she still made a splash on bars to help Utah post a season-high 49.35 on the event.
Both Skinner and Kim Tessen earned 9.90s on bars to lead Utah to a 49.35-49.175 advantage after the first rotation.
With Skinner out on vault, freshman Alexia Burch stepped in as her replacement for the Red Rocks’ second event of the day. Burch’s leadoff 9.775 was the team’s lowest score and was dropped. Her first career vault was solid with deductions coming from her landing. Tessen and Kari Lee posted 9.90s to tie for the event title and lead Utah to a 49.325.
Meanwhile, California exploded on bars. The Bears dropped a 9.875 and counted three 9.925s to earn 49.55, edging the Red Rocks 98.725-98.675 at the midway point.
The nation’s first-ranked floor team knew it could help its score in the third rotation, but its depth would have to shine. Once again, Burch, who contributed a 9.85, subbed in for Skinner. Tiffani Lewis tied her career-best 9.925 as Missy Reinstadtler and Sydney Soloski locked in 9.90s.
Utah's season average on floor is 49.464. Without Skinner, the Red Rocks earned 49.45, displaying the team’s depth. Utah regained a narrow lead, 148.125-147.975, with one rotation left.
The teams flirted with four-consecutive 9.85s as the last rotation got underway. With one gymnast left to compete for both teams, the score was tied at 197.375. Skinner anchored Utah’s beam lineup with a 9.85 to secure a 49.325 on the event. The Red Rocks were left watching Williams’ near-perfect floor routine drill in the upset.
Utah takes a week off competition before traveling to No. 6 Michigan for a meet on Saturday, March 10, at 12 p.m. MST.
