Gymnastics: Utes fall but still record highs

If the U gymnastics team was in a slumber going into the meet against Oregon State Friday night, its performance served as a blaring alarm.

No. 2 ranked Utah (10-0) managed to defeat the No. 7 Beavers (9-3) by a score of 196.300 to 195.150 in the Huntsman Center despite two falls by Ashley Postell, the nation's top all-around performer, and plenty of other miscues.

Postell first fell on her bars routine. After completing a maneuver on the lower bar, Postell lost momentum and slipped off the bar right onto her feet.

"I knew something wasn't really right when I was doing the skill before I fell," Postell said. She said she broke in new grips this week and wasn't comfortable with them during her routine.

Postell later got on beam and was flowing through her routine before slipping after a pass midway through the performance.

"Ashley doesn't struggle like that typically, so if she does, you know it's not her night," Marsden said.

Postell's fall on the bars ended a streak of 49 straight routines without a fall. After her vault performance earlier that night, she was just 14 routines shy of Suzanne Metz's team record of 63 straight routines without a fall that extended from the 1994 to the 1995 season.

Marsden approached Postell after she fell on beam and asked her if she wanted to sit out the floor exercise. She agreed that it was the right thing to do.

The rest of the team fared better than its leader but wasn't spectacular. Wobbles and steps littered routines and dismounts throughout the meet for Utah. Along with Postell's two falls, Daria Bijak fell during her floor routine, but the Utes have yet to count a fall this season as a team.

Out of 216 routines this season, Utah gymnasts have fallen seven times.

Utah started strong by matching its season high of 49.550 on vault. But the shakiness began during bars and persisted through beam, lingering into the floor exercise.

"Tonight it looked like we were fighting through things," Marsden said.

It didn't look easy for Utah, but despite posting a season low 48.975 on floor, Marsden was pleased that his gymnasts responded with two strong performances to pull out the win.

Annie DiLuzio won the floor event with a 9.90, and Kristina Baskett anchored Utah with a 9.875. Baskett won her first all-around competition of the year with a 39.250.

Stephanie Neff took Postell's place on floor and performed her way to a 9.80.

"I was a little nervous when (Marsden) told me I was going in," Neff said.

Neff has been recovering and gaining strength after she hurt her Achilles' tendon at the beginning of February. Friday marked her first competition since the injury.

"That's big for us in terms of our depth there (in floor)," Marsden said.

The Utes also set season lows on the uneven bars (48.900) and balance beam (48.875). Utah's overall score tied its season low set in the opening meet against Georgia on Jan. 11.

"Hopefully we can use this as a motivator -- a reason to go to practice Monday," Marsden said.

Filling the Utes' plate now are away meets at No. 3 Florida and No. 4 Michigan. Both teams are in good form and are likely Super Six competitors.

Marsden hopes to train well this week and get two solid road meets in the bank.

"Whether we win or lose, I want to go in there and look sharp," Marsden said.

j.gilbert@chronicle.utah.edu