Gymnastics: Illnesses, Cougars can't stop No. 2 Red Rocks
By: Jon Gilbert
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Sports
PROVO -- Sometimes a win can leave the victor a bit unsatisfied. On Friday night, that was the case for the U gymnastics team.
Utah defeated BYU 196.700-193.925 at the Marriott Center to improve to 5-0 on the season. Despite beating its arch-rival and posting a solid score, Utah knows that a performance riddled with minor mistakes needs evaluating before the team takes to the mats again.
"I said last week our gymnastics looked easy," Utah head coach Greg Marsden said. "This week it didn't look easy."
The Red Rocks achieved the 10th highest score in school history last week when they trumped Minnesota with a 197.750. This week, the Red Rocks looked a little different. Few landings were stuck by Utah and routines were, for the most part, not concise.
Marsden attributed many of the mistakes to illness.
Flu-like symptoms made their way through the team over the past week. The bug kept Ashley Postell out of the all-around competition -- which she has won in all four of Utah's previous meets -- for the first time this season. She competed on the vault and the beam, however. Postell typically sits out for a portion of one meet each season, and she said that last Friday will most likely serve as that meet this year.
Daria Bijak won the all-around competition for Utah in Postell's stead with a score of 39.375. Teammate Nina Kim, who came into this week ranked as the top all-around performer in the country, finished second, and Kristina Baskett came in third. BYU did not have a gymnast compete in the all-around and has yet to this season.
Bijak felt well throughout the week but began feeling ill leading up to the meet on Friday.
BYU head coach Brad Cattermole said he would trade Utah his team's injuries for their sickness.
"It's frustrating for (the coaching staff) and (the gymnasts) when you can't go full throttle," he said.
Senior Cougar Alethea Boon struggled while competing in three events. She sat out of the uneven bars competition due to a nagging wrist injury. Cattermole said that if Boon experiences any pain in her wrist, he does not want to risk re-injury.
Utah defeated BYU 196.700-193.925 at the Marriott Center to improve to 5-0 on the season. Despite beating its arch-rival and posting a solid score, Utah knows that a performance riddled with minor mistakes needs evaluating before the team takes to the mats again.
"I said last week our gymnastics looked easy," Utah head coach Greg Marsden said. "This week it didn't look easy."
The Red Rocks achieved the 10th highest score in school history last week when they trumped Minnesota with a 197.750. This week, the Red Rocks looked a little different. Few landings were stuck by Utah and routines were, for the most part, not concise.
Marsden attributed many of the mistakes to illness.
Flu-like symptoms made their way through the team over the past week. The bug kept Ashley Postell out of the all-around competition -- which she has won in all four of Utah's previous meets -- for the first time this season. She competed on the vault and the beam, however. Postell typically sits out for a portion of one meet each season, and she said that last Friday will most likely serve as that meet this year.
Daria Bijak won the all-around competition for Utah in Postell's stead with a score of 39.375. Teammate Nina Kim, who came into this week ranked as the top all-around performer in the country, finished second, and Kristina Baskett came in third. BYU did not have a gymnast compete in the all-around and has yet to this season.
Bijak felt well throughout the week but began feeling ill leading up to the meet on Friday.
BYU head coach Brad Cattermole said he would trade Utah his team's injuries for their sickness.
"It's frustrating for (the coaching staff) and (the gymnasts) when you can't go full throttle," he said.
Senior Cougar Alethea Boon struggled while competing in three events. She sat out of the uneven bars competition due to a nagging wrist injury. Cattermole said that if Boon experiences any pain in her wrist, he does not want to risk re-injury.
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