By Diana Ly, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- The No. 17 Arizona State gymnastics team (5-3, 2-2 Pac-12) fell to No. 2 Utah (7-1, 4-0 Pac-12), 197.075-195.400, on Friday night at Jon. M. Huntsman Center.
"It was not exactly easy going tonight, but I feel the team did a good job to fight and battle for everything tonight," noted Gym Devil head coach Jay Santos. "Counting the mistake on bars is obviously not how we wanted to start the meet but the team kept a good attitude after that and for the remainder of the meet."
Leading the Arizona State effort was 2012 French Olympian and Junior, Anne Kuhm, who notched a career-best and finished third overall in the all-around with a score of 39.225. Kuhm finished behind Utah's Kari Lee and MyKayla Skinner. Three-time Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week, Cairo Leonard-Baker, placed third on uneven bars and finished fourth in the all-around behind Kuhm with a 39.200.
Opening the outing on bars, the Gym Devils recorded a team cumulative 48.650. Anchoring the lineup, freshman standout Leonard-Baker recorded a 9.875. The Oakland, Calif. native has now eclipsed the 9.800 mark in five-of-six meets on the season for Arizona State. Rounding out the effort, Kuhm posted a 9.775, while Kaitlyn Szafranski (career-best) and Morgan Wilson notched a pair of 9.725s, respectively.
Strong performances from Wilson and Kuhm highlighted a respectable 48.850 showing for Gym Devils on vault. The reliable and powerful Wilson, earned a 9.800+ for a sixth consecutive outing, pacing the Maroon and Gold in the rotation with a score of 9.825. Following close behind, Kuhm notched a 9.800, constituting her second-highest mark on the event this season.
Surpassing the 49+ mark on floor for their fourth time this season, the Gym Devils pieced together an impressive 49.075 team effort, spearheaded by a pair of 9.875s from Leonard-Baker and Kuhm. For Kuhm, the score tied a career-best for the Brumath, France native. A trio of 9.775s from juniors Katelyn Lentz and Kaitlyn Szafranski and sophomore Jessica Ginn helped to solidify the 49.075 rotation score.
Closing out the meet on beam, Arizona State posted a 48.825, led by Junior Heather Udowitch, who recorded a season-best 9.800 on in the event. Kuhm and Lentz added a pair of 9.775s to round out the rotation.
"Moving forward we need to stop counting mistakes and get back to hitting cleaner meets," said Santos. "We are looking forward to coming home for a couple weeks and being back in Wells Fargo for the rest of our Pac-12 match ups."
Up next, the Gym Devils return to Tempe to host back-to-back home meets, welcoming Washington on Saturday, Feb. 17, followed by in-state rival Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24. Arizona State's outing with No. 16 Washington is slated for an 11:30 a.m. MT start and will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- The No. 17 Arizona State gymnastics team (5-3, 2-2 Pac-12) fell to No. 2 Utah (7-1, 4-0 Pac-12), 197.075-195.400, on Friday night at Jon. M. Huntsman Center.
"It was not exactly easy going tonight, but I feel the team did a good job to fight and battle for everything tonight," noted Gym Devil head coach Jay Santos. "Counting the mistake on bars is obviously not how we wanted to start the meet but the team kept a good attitude after that and for the remainder of the meet."
Leading the Arizona State effort was 2012 French Olympian and Junior, Anne Kuhm, who notched a career-best and finished third overall in the all-around with a score of 39.225. Kuhm finished behind Utah's Kari Lee and MyKayla Skinner. Three-time Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week, Cairo Leonard-Baker, placed third on uneven bars and finished fourth in the all-around behind Kuhm with a 39.200.
Opening the outing on bars, the Gym Devils recorded a team cumulative 48.650. Anchoring the lineup, freshman standout Leonard-Baker recorded a 9.875. The Oakland, Calif. native has now eclipsed the 9.800 mark in five-of-six meets on the season for Arizona State. Rounding out the effort, Kuhm posted a 9.775, while Kaitlyn Szafranski (career-best) and Morgan Wilson notched a pair of 9.725s, respectively.
Strong performances from Wilson and Kuhm highlighted a respectable 48.850 showing for Gym Devils on vault. The reliable and powerful Wilson, earned a 9.800+ for a sixth consecutive outing, pacing the Maroon and Gold in the rotation with a score of 9.825. Following close behind, Kuhm notched a 9.800, constituting her second-highest mark on the event this season.
Surpassing the 49+ mark on floor for their fourth time this season, the Gym Devils pieced together an impressive 49.075 team effort, spearheaded by a pair of 9.875s from Leonard-Baker and Kuhm. For Kuhm, the score tied a career-best for the Brumath, France native. A trio of 9.775s from juniors Katelyn Lentz and Kaitlyn Szafranski and sophomore Jessica Ginn helped to solidify the 49.075 rotation score.
Closing out the meet on beam, Arizona State posted a 48.825, led by Junior Heather Udowitch, who recorded a season-best 9.800 on in the event. Kuhm and Lentz added a pair of 9.775s to round out the rotation.
"Moving forward we need to stop counting mistakes and get back to hitting cleaner meets," said Santos. "We are looking forward to coming home for a couple weeks and being back in Wells Fargo for the rest of our Pac-12 match ups."
Up next, the Gym Devils return to Tempe to host back-to-back home meets, welcoming Washington on Saturday, Feb. 17, followed by in-state rival Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24. Arizona State's outing with No. 16 Washington is slated for an 11:30 a.m. MT start and will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.