Utah Utes gymnastics: Ute gymnasts post season high in defeat of Nebraska

Competing without senior All-American Kyndal Robarts, who injured her knee during pre-meet vault warm-ups, the No. 4-ranked Ute gymnasts gutted out a 196.200-194.750 win Saturday over No. 9 Nebraska. Utah, which improved to 3-0, earned its best score of the season even without its highest-scoring gymnast.

"You can't compare scores from different meets," said Ute coach Greg Marsden. "It wasn't the prettiest meet, but we didn't make the big mistake that (makes you) beat yourself. It's just a gutsy team. When Kyndal got hurt in warm-ups, it was tough on everyone. An already young team just got younger."

The Utes are now down to nine healthy scholarship gymnasts, with freshmen performing 13 of 24 routines against the Huskers. Marsden said Robarts will have an MRI to determine the extent of the damage when the team returns to Salt Lake City.

"I hope it's not permanent, but either way, she'll be out for awhile," Marsden said. "Some other people will get an opportunity. We're not going to completely replace Kyndal's scores – she's number one in the country on vault – but we have some people who can step in and do a good job."

Freshman Corrie Lothrop earned her first two career victories, winning the all-around with a career-high 39.375 and tying for first on beam with fellow freshman Mary Beth Lofgren (9.85). Stephanie McAllister won the uneven bars with a career-high 9.925, and finished second in the all-around (39.300).

The Utes won the meet on the balance beam. The first three Huskers fell off the beam, allowing Utah's lead to balloon to 147.250-145.875.