The BYU women's gymnastics team lost its first meet of the season to No. 12 Oregon State 191.500 to 191.375 Friday in front of 1,542 fans in the Marriott Center in Provo.

The Cougars started the meet by jumping ahead of the Beavers 96.900 to 95.100 after two rotations. But the Cougars scored a 45.650 on the beam opening the door for Oregon State to take the victory.

"I think we're a good solid team," BYU head coach Brad Cattermole said. "We had to count four falls (on beam) and we still competed closely with a very good Oregon State team."

The meet also marked the return of Cougars senior Denice Pauga. Pauga missed the 1999 season because of a broken hand suffered in a preseason workout. But there was little sign of rust as she won the all-around title with a score of 38.900 finishing just ahead of Oregon State's Annie Campbell (38.700) and fellow-Cougar Kim Little (38.225). Pauga also won the floor exercise with a 9.85.

"Denice had a really good meet and that's expected," Cattermole said. "When she was younger she could ride the coattails of some of the older gymnasts, but now she needs to carry some people."

Joining Pauga with a win was sophomore Kelly Parkinson who won the vault with a score of 9.875. BYU senior Leak Niepraschk tied finished the uneven bars tied with Oregon State's Stephanie Bychowski at 9.80. Bychowski and her teammate Tiffani White tied for the win on bars with a 9.75.

The Cougars will next compete at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 20.

Team score:

OSU 191.500

BYU 191.375

BYU scores:

Vault: (48.500)

Kelly Parkinson, 9.875

Kim Little, 9.750

Angie Hickman, 9.700

Jeni Thomas, 9.600

Denice Pauga, 9.575

Jessica Taylor, 8.700

Bars: (48.400)

Leah Niepraschk, 9.8

Pauga, 9.8

Little, 9.8

Thomas, 9.7

Parkinson, 9.3

Mindi Hilton, 9.1

Beam: (45.650)

Pauga, 9.675

Karen Nielsen, 9.250

Thomas, 9.000

Little, 8.900

Parkinson, 8.825

Hilton, 8.800

Floor: (48.825)

Pauga, 9.850

Little, 9.775

Hickman, 9.775

Parkinson, 9.725

Marisa Cosgrave, 9.700

Thomas, 9.700

All-Around:

Pauga, 38.900

Little, 38.225

Thomas, 38.000

Parkinson, 37.725