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SALT LAKE CITY — In its last regular season meet, fourth-ranked Utah gymnastics travel Saturday to Athens, Georgia, to compete against tenth-ranked Georgia. A win at Stegeman Coliseum will give the Utes (11-0, 6-0 Pac-12) their first undefeated season since 1993 and second in school history.
“It’s a neat thing to hang your hat on,” said co-head coach Megan Marsden on possibly having an undefeated season. “But for our team, it has to do with regional qualifying score, confidence and not having a lot of executing deductions in your routines as a team.”
Last week a NCAA record 16,019 fans cheered on Utah at the Huntsman Center as the team defeated Michigan 198.25-197.675. Season-high scores were earned on beam (49.5) and floor (49.65). Georgia Dabritz earned her third 10.0 on bars this season and Kari Lee (9.975) scored Utah’s best beam score since 2008.
The Utes seek to carry the energy from last week 2,000 miles east. The team knows it won’t be the same as having 16,000 of its own fans, but several thousand attending at Georgia (4-6, 3-4 SEC) may help.
“What’s important is the girls take the confidence in the way they competed last week and see if they can replicate that in somebody else’s place,” said Marsden.
Traveling across country doesn’t seem to affect the team too much, according to Marsden. She said while they will be in a different time zone, the bigger issue is using another team’s equipment. Sometimes the gymnasts think the beam or bars feel different. If they get in that mindset, Marsden says it hinders their performance.
It's a neat thing to hang your hat on. But for our team, it has to do with regional qualifying score, confidence and not having a lot of executing deductions in your routines as a team.
–Megan Marsden
“If they handle that well and try not to let that be a negative, they compete pretty well,” she added.
This will be the 50th all-time meeting between Utah and Georgia. The Gymdogs hold a 25-23-1 advantage, but Utah has won four of the last five meets with Georgia. The loss came during its last visit to Athens in 2013. The teams average a difference in score of .35 against each other since Utah has joined the Pac-12.
They also have one of the country’s best non-conference gymnastics rivalries. No two teams combine for more NCAA titles: Georgia having 10 national championship titles and Utah having nine.
“Georgia is a good team,” said Marsden.
The Gymdogs are coming off a thriller of a meet victory. They trailed Arkansas by .325 heading into the last rotation. On floor, freshman Gigi Marino gave Georgia the lead with a 9.95, but a 9.9 on Arkansas’ last beam routine put them in a tie. Gymdog junior Mary Beth Box took the floor needing a 9.85 and earned a career-high 9.95. Georgia’s season-high (49.55) on floor put the theam above Arkansas, 196.775-196.65.
As for Utah, there's one way Marsden would like to see the team finish their regular season.
“Another solid beam set on the last event on someone else’s floor would be a great way to try to solidify a win,” said Marsden.
Saturday's meet will be televised on the digital version of the SEC Network, SECN+, and ESPN3.
