Cougars earn season-high vault score, fall to Aggies

LOGAN, Utah —The  BYU gymnastics team earned a season-high 48.825 on vault in its 195.850 to 194.850 loss to Utah State Friday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. 

“We still need to hit and stick more,” BYU head coach Guard Young said. “It comes down to balance beam. We’ve got to find a few more girls who can hit. We have four girls that do a good job and we need to find our team."

Freshman Shannon Hortman brought home the all-around and beam event titles, earning a career-high 39.275 in the all-around and career highs of 9.850 on both uneven bars and beam. 

The Cougars started the night out with a 48.925 on bars. Behind Hortman’s career-high 9.850, sophomore Jessie Westergard scored a 9.825 and junior Brittni Hawes a 9.800. The Aggies finished the rotation in first, 48.975 to 48.925.  

In the second rotation, BYU moved to vault and recorded a season-high 48.825. Hortman earned a 9.825 while freshman Angel Zhong posted a 9.775. Juniors Jill van Mierlo and Mackenzie Douglas added a pair of 9.750s as well. Van Mierlo recorded a season high with that score. Utah State maintained its lead, 98.000 to 97.750.

A strong performance on floor in the third rotation whittled the Aggies’ lead down to just 0.150. Douglas led the team with a season-high 9.875, followed by Hortman’s 9.750 and freshman Briana Pearson’s 9.725 on the event. BYU trailed Utah State just 146.650 to 146.500 going into the final rotation. 

Hortman earned her second career high of the night with a 9.850 on beam. Van Mierlo and posted a 9.825 and Pearson tied her career-high 9.750. Two falls on beam proved costly for the Cougars as they dropped the event to the Aggies by one point with a final score of 195.850 to 194.850.

The Cougars will compete against Texas Woman’s and Centenary in Denton, Texas, on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. CST.