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ST. LOUIS — And just like that, it was over.
After a fiery finish in Friday night’s semifinal, Utah gymnastics hoped to keep its energy going into Saturday’s Super Six. Instead, the Red Rocks scored season lows on floor (49.1875) and vault (49.075), digging themselves in too deep of a hole as other teams exploded to excellence. Utah’s effort earned it a fifth-place 196.90 finish, mirroring last season’s result.
“It was déjà vu starting on the floor exercise and shooting ourselves in the foot,” Utah co-head coach Tom Farden said.
“When we do our routines the way we can, we are amazing,” MyKayla Skinner said. “This was a learning experience and will push us harder for next season.”
UCLA (198.075), the only other Pac-12 team to qualify for the Super Six, stunned two-time defending champion Oklahoma (198.0375) for an upset as beam anchor Peng-Peng Lee’s well-deserved 10.0 performance sealed the victory. The rest of the standings included third-place Florida (197.85), fourth-place LSU (197.8375) and sixth-place Nebraska (196.80).
Looking to start its night with a bang on one of its best events, Utah took to the floor in the first rotation. But rather than explode to a great start as expected, the Red Rocks struggled and scored its season low on the event.
Only Skinner scored above 9.90 with a 9.925 on floor. She and Sydney Soloski (9.8625) were the only Utah gymnasts to score near their season average. MaKenna Merrell-Giles, one of Utah’s most reliable and strongest performers, had too much power in one of her tumbling pass and stepped out of bounds for a 9.6875.
“We pressed too much and tried too hard to be perfect instead of having fun and competing how we train every day,” Merrell-Giles said.
After every team competed one event, the Red Rocks were in fifth place, ahead of Nebraska (48.825) and behind LSU (49.475), UCLA (49.4625), Oklahoma (49.425), and Florida (49.4125).
In the meet’s second rotation, Utah looked to fly high and excel on vault. But instead of showing why it’s one of the best in the country on the apparatus, the team fell flat. Only Kari Lee stuck her landing, earning 9.8375. Despite owning the team’s high score, Skinner posted a season-low of 9.8625 while Merrell-Giles hopped to a 9.7875, mimicking Kim Tessen’s (9.7125) landing.
Utah (98.2625) and Nebraska (98.10) stayed in fifth and sixth place respectively once every team performed two events. Ahead were Oklahoma (99.0125), Florida (98.95), LSU (98.8625), and UCLA (98.6875).
Resting during a bye in the third rotation, Farden told the team to be themselves. The Red Rocks listened and returned to action in the fourth rotation on bars finally showing some spark. While Skinner was again the only Utah gymnast to break 9.90 with 9.9125, the last five gymnasts to compete scored 9.80 or better, including both Merrell-Giles and Tessen who reeled in 9.8625s.
With three events done, Utah (147.55) and Nebraska (147.50) continued to keep their respective fifth and sixth spots. Oklahoma’s 148.50 was first, followed by Florida’s 148.2875, LSU’s 148.375, and UCLA’s 148.325.
Eager not to finish in last place with the Huskers close behind, the Red Rocks took to beam. For the first time all season, the apparatus was Utah’s highest-scoring event. With every teammate before her hitting their routines, Skinner was forced to deliver under pressure, like so many times before. She was left to make up a 0.0875 deficit to Nebraska, which already finished its competition on vault. She produced, sticking her double back dismount to earn 9.925.
“While we are disappointed that we didn’t do our best tonight, we are honored to be in the final Super Six,” Farden said. “The talent in the NCAA is amazing and just getting here is tough. We’re not satisfied though and are working hard to make that next step.”
