U. gymnasts progress in 2nd win

The atmosphere was off a bit with technical glitches on scorers' headphones, the sound system causing uncharacteristic delays, and an opponent not a perennial contender for a national championship, but the Ute gymnasts stayed above that and were a little more themselves Friday night in their second home meet.

Senior captain Nicolle Ford was an all-around winner again, junior Ashley Postell was more clear of the nerves that dogged her and Ford last week in the season opener and even got her double-Arabian somersault into her first tumbling pass.

And the third-ranked Utes (2-0) made satisfactory progress in a 196.725-193.85 victory in the Huntsman Center over unranked Washington (1-2).

Washington has improved each meet and was .9 point higher than last week when it beat Utah State in Seattle. The Huskies' top score of the night was a 9.9 vault by freshman Cassidy Lance of Draper, Alta High and Olympus School of Gymnastics, who had her own cheering section.

Said Utah's Ford, who totaled 39.50 to win the all-around with 9.9s on vault and floor, 9.875 on bars and a well-earned 9.825 on beam: "It felt more like me."

"I got a lecture," Ford added about coach Greg Marsden, who talked to her before the meet and before the floor exercise.

"It was an emotional week for her," he said. He wanted her to be herself, and he tried to be both stern and positive in telling her she needed to not put that kind of pressure on herself.

One of Utah's top gymnasts for more than three seasons is now in her last season, wanting to still upgrade and to captain her team to a top finish when Utah hosts the NCAA championships in late April. It all came down on her, and Postell, last week as both tried to be too perfect.

This night was better, and now Ford can begin to upgrade. "This was a big step toward that," Marsden said.

Postell said the whole team was a lot better this meet. "We're on the right track. More confident."

"People were more aggressive in every event other than the beam. Things (skills) looked bigger," added Ford, with Marsden agreeing.

Sophomore Nina Kim said, "I think the team chemistry was better. We did good as a team. Really good, I thought."

Postell totaled 39.375 in the all-around, with just the vault (9.775) and a slight misstep on beam (9.80) holding her back.