Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championship Final on April 19, 2025 , , 4th of 4 (197.2375)
Final Score
Gymnastics
4th of 4 (197.2375)
vs NCAA Championship Final
Friday, February 12
Tucson, AZ
7:30 PM
University of Utah
193.625
at
193
Arizona
Early Lead Helps Women Gymnasts Beat Arizona
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
February 12, 1999
TUCSON, ARIZ. - The No. 3 ranked University of Utah gymnasts fell apart at the end, but not before securing a big enough lead to win their fifth straight meet. Utah (5-0), which had not counted a fall all year, blew a huge lead down the stretch, and barely eked out a 193.625-193.250 win over Arizona. Utah was on its way to a rout midway through the third rotation, but five falls from its last 12 competitors left the Utes below 194.00 for the first time in three years and made things close.
Utah showed no signs of trouble through two rotations. Jenny Schmidt started things off right with a 9.70 bar routine. After Shannon Bowles fell, Molly Northrop righted things with another 9.70. The Ute scores kept climbing from there, culminating with Angie Leonard's winning 9.850 set. Utah led by three tenths of a point (48.700-48.400) after one rotation.
Utah increased its lead in the next rotation, with a fine vault set that resulted in a 48.700 and a 97.450-95.975 two-event spread. Bowles led Utah with a season-best 9.80, while Angelika Schatton and Theresa Wolf each added a 9.775. But vault would prove Utah's last good event.
Actually, floor looked like a winner through four competitors, with Kylee Wagner (9.675), Bowles (9.775) and Wolf (9.775) setting up Leonard's season-best 9.900. Leonard tied for first on the event. But Deidra Graham fell on her last pass and Ashley Kever, who hadn't missed all season, also stumbled to the ground late in her routine.
Still, thanks to three falls on beam by the Wildcats, Utah enjoyed a hefty 145.900-144.100 lead going into its last event. Unfortunately, the spills lingered from floor exercise, with three of Utah's first four competitors falling off the beam. Only Theresa Wolf (9.60) stayed up among the quartet of Graham, Denise Jones and Leonard.
Meanwhile, Arizona was racking up its best floor score of the year (49.10) and putting Utah's series stranglehold in danger. Kever made amends for her miscue on floor with a 9.825 to give the Utes a chance and Bowles clinched it with a winning 9.850 effort. The last gasp effort improved Utah's record against the Wildcats to 43-0.
The Utes, competing without star freshman Theresa Kulikowski, who was ill, got a good effort from their "other" Theresa. Theresa Wolf won the all-around with a 38.925. Despite falling on one event, Bowles (38.775) and Leonard (38.650) helped Utah go 1-2-3 in the all-around.
"It was very disappointing," said Ute coach Greg Marsden. "It was as uninspiring a performance from a Utah team as I've seen in many years. We obviously didn't show up ready to compete tonight."
The Utes now head into their toughest week of the season, with meets against No. 4 Louisiana State (Friday) and defending NCAA runner-up Florida the following Monday.
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