With a slight bit of help from an indecisive judge, the University of Utah gymnastics team came up tall on Short People Appreciation Night Friday at the Huntsman Center, totaling the 10th-best score in school history.

Behind a monster score from Ashley Postell (career-best 39.80, tied for fourth in Ute history, with career highs of 10.0 on vault and 9.975 on floor) and strong supporting all-arounds from Kristina Baskett (39.60) and Nina Kim (career-best 39.55 in her first all-around in two years), the Utes rang up 197.75, easily beating Minnesota (194.10), despite the Gophers having their season high.

Postell's 10 on vault was likely deserved.

"I know that was probably the best vault Ashley has done since she's been here, and she absolutely nailed it," said Ute coach Greg Marsden.

"She just dropped out of it and nailed it, which is difficult with how complex that vault is. It's difficult not to take a little hop or a little step or something."

But it was just a little tainted in that one judge scored it a 10.0 immediately, and the other, Mary Ann Mahoney, who is from California and declined to speak to the media after the meet, originally gave Postell 9.95, then changed it to 10.0.

It was Utah's first perfect vault score since 2004.

The score switch brought to mind the way former Ute Annabeth Eberle finished her Senior Night in 2005, when another judge named Mary Ann (Case) awarded first 9.95, then changed to 10.0 upon hearing the crowd reaction and seeing the other score. She said after the meet that she had been wavering between 10.0 and 9.95.

Rules have changed since then, and even coaches are not allowed to speak to judges all season.

"I didn't see what you're describing," Marsden said of Friday's score change. Postell didn't see the switch either. She was too happy to have done so well to look at the score.

Both gymnast and coach said the main thing is doing the skill well enough to please them, and Postell did that. She said it's the first time she's ever landed a vault that well. "Oh, man, I haven't stuck any vaults ever — maybe one, but it wasn't a good stick.

"It's the first of many, I hope," she said.

Utah did little wrong on this night. Even a mistake turned positive when freshman Kyndal Robarts missed a foot on beam and wound up sitting down hard but straight, not having a balance check or having to grab hold of the beam to stay on. She finished the, uh, new skill with an elegant, posing wave as though it was meant to be. She scored 9.5 but didn't have to be scored for a fall and later joked she'd put it into her routine as it got such a positive reaction from the crowd of 10,133.