- Red Rocks secured the Big 12 title with a 197.200 win over Denver.
- Avery Neff excelled, scoring 39.650 in all-around narrowly missing her career-high.
- Coach Dockendorf praised the team's focus despite challenging scoring, highlighting gymnasts' performances.
DENVER, Colo. — It's been a gradual climb for the Red Rocks this season.
But on Sunday, in a road meet against conference opponent Denver at Magness Arena, the Red Rocks came away with a regular-season Big 12 title following a win over the Pioneers (196.100) with a 197.200 team score — the highest score of the season on the road for the Red Rocks after an up-and-down year.
And while the meet wasn't perfect for visitors, it was an opportunity for the Red Rocks to go 24 for 24 for the first time this season, which was a goal that was "important for us today to be able to hit all those routines," Red Rocks head coach Carly Dockendorf said.
There were strong individual performances from the team, including the back half of the floor team who scored a 9.925 or higher, and other scores that left more to be desired after some missteps and some tight scoring from the judges in Denver.
"I was really proud of how we just stayed focused on our own team tonight," Dockendorf said. "Not gonna lie, some of the scoring was interesting; I'll use that word. But they did a really good job of not letting it affect their performance one way or another. We just kept doing what we came here to do."
Dockendorf said mistakes were present in the meet, but she felt her team keeps "inching forward in the right direction on the road."
Red Rocks gymnasts Avery Neff and Ella Zirbes were the only two in the meet to compete in the all-around, with Neff topping the leaderboard with a 39.650 score, narrowly missing out on tying her career-high for the third straight meet.
For Zirbes (39.375), it was the first time back in the all-around competition after a meet early in the season, largely because of her being in "such a strong place" this season and being one of the most consistent gymnasts on the team.
"Really proud of where she's at and the work that she's put in to get to that point," Dockendorf said.
Makenna Smith opened up the meet on bars with a 9.825 score before some missteps by Clara Raposo (9.775) and Abbi Ryssman (9.725) left little room for error. But Zirbes got the team back on track with a 9.875, followed by Ana Padurariu's 9.90 and Neff's 9.950.
The vault team was efficient, but couldn't get the landings they were hoping for as each gymnast outside of Smith took some steps forward or back. Zirbes was a bit short on her landing and was forced to take a small step back, and the judges took big deductions as part of the "interesting" scoring Dockendorf noted.
Zirbes made up for it on floor with a 9.950 in one of her best performances of the season, helping erase some early low scores from Ashley Glynn (9.575) and Zoe Johnson (9.775) to start the event. Smith and freshman Sage Curtis followed that up with a 9.925 score apiece to lift the Red Rocks to the team's third-highest floor score of the season.
"I'm super proud of Sage," Dockendorf said. "That anchor spot was an important routine, and pretty sure that was like her best routine that she's performed yet."
The beam team had consistent scoring throughout before Neff topped the scores with a 9.950 in the fifth spot.
Team scores
No. 12 Utah
- Bars: 49.325
- Vault: 98.475 (49.150)
- Floor: 147.925 (49.450)
- Beam: 197.200 (49.275)
No. 21 Denver
- Vault: 49.175
- Bars: 98.325 (49.150)
- Beam: 146.975 (48.650)
- Floor: 196.100 (49.225)
Red Rocks scores
1st Rotation: Bars (49.325)
- Makenna Smith: 9.825
- Clara Raposo: 9.775
- Abbi Ryssman: 9.725
- Ella Zirbes: 9.875
- Ana Padurariu: 9.900
- Avery Neff: 9.950
2nd Rotation: Vault (49.150)
- Camie Winger: 9.800
- Ella Zirbes: 9.725
- Zoe Johnson: 9.825
- Makenna Smith: 9.925
- Ashley Glynn: 9.675
- Avery Neff: 9.875
3rd Rotation: Floor (49.450)
- Ashley Glynn: 9.575
- Zoe Johnson: 9.775
- Avery Neff: 9.875
- Ella Zirbes: 9.950
- Makenna Smith: 9.925
- Sage Curtis: 9.925
4th Rotation: Beam (49.275)
- Elizabeth Gantner: 9.775
- Ella Zirbes: 9.825
- Abbi Ryssman: 9.825
- Ana Padurariu: 9.875
- Avery Neff: 9.950
- Camie Winger: 9.800
