Utah gymnastics: Red Rocks edged by No. 1 Florida

SALT LAKE CITY — On paper, looking at things statistically and logically, there wasn't any way that Utah's young and injured gymnastics team could compete Friday night in the Huntsman Center with No. 1-ranked Florida, a team that leads the ratings in every event.

Not even with an NCAA and Utah-record crowd of 15,558 on hand to cheer on the Utes and their three outgoing seniors — Jacq Johnson, Gael Mackie and the injured Kyndal Robarts — on senior night.

And yet, after three events, Utah was just .15 behind, and as her team went to balance beam to conclude the meet, Florida coach Rhonda Faehn said they felt the pressure was definitely on.

Florida added another .1 to its margin, winning 197.00-196.75, as the Gators did well on beam, and Utah had some of those imprecise landings that it's been trying to clean up for much of the season.

But the night left Utah coach Greg Marsden saying again, "I just love this team. They are just gutty little fighters. It doesn't matter who's on the other side of the floor.

"We just shouldn't be able to hang with Florida when you look at our roster and their roster, but we did."

True, Florida was coming off its first loss of the season, last Friday at Arkansas, 196.70-196.10, but Faehn said that setback steeled her team, taught it to fight every night, and that the Gators were much better in the Huntsman Center.

The Utes did get one bit of good fortune Friday morning when freshman all-arounder Corrie Lothrop's ankle felt so much better that she did a few beam routines and decided she would be able to participate in that event.

She scored 9.85.

That kept Mackie from counting in the all-around in her final home meet, but she scored 9.775 in an exhibition beam routine and would have had 39.40 in the all-around, had her beam counted. That would have raised her career best by .275. She had a career-best vault of 9.90.

"I just relaxed and let it happen," she said, with Marsden noting that she is finally learning how to do that as her career nears its end.

Johnson had a 9.775 vault, 9.80 bars and 9.775 floor but fell on beam, totaling 38.575 in just the second all-around she's ever done collegiately due to several injuries.

Utah has two more road meets plus the postseason left, starting next Saturday night at Oregon State.

"It's so exciting to finally be back," said Lothrop. "After sitting out last week, it's not fun."