Utah Utes gymnastics: Red Rocks tumble

ATHENS, Ga. — Greg Marsden suspected there would be an advantage on the final rotation.

As Utah went to balance beam — one of the toughest events to finish with — Georgia went to the floor exercise in front of its home crowd, with the score knotted at 147.775.

The fourth-ranked Gym Dogs (3-0) posted their highest floor exercise total of the season to capture a 197.150-196.725 victory over the third-ranked Utes on Monday at Stegeman Coliseum.

"On somebody else's floor, you've got to assume that they're going to do a good job and finish strong," said Marsden.

"This is what it's all about — to come into this kind of situation and challenge yourself and see how you perform and hold under," he said. "Their team is always the best, or among the best, so you know you're going to get a dogfight every time you come."

Even though the Utes lost their second meet of the season, Marsden was pleased with his team's fight. The Utes suffered a fall from their first competitor of the day, freshman Stephanie McAllister, but did not have to count it. And on the final rotation, leadoff competitor Gael Mackie lost her balance and fell off the beam that also did not count.

"We came into a tough situation early in the year with a lot of new people in the lineup," Marsden said. "It started out tough on a couple of events. ... They kept fighting all the way through the meet."

The Utes (1-1) scored their lowest beam total of the season with a 48.950, as no gymnast scored above a 9.850. Seven-time All-American Kristina Baskett led with a 9.850.

Utah began the competition with a 49.400 on the uneven bars, even after McAllister's fall. The Utes held a one-tenth lead after the first rotation as Georgia scored a 49.300 on vault.

Daria Bijak and Baskett led the Utes with a 9.900 and 9.925, respectively, on bars.

But the Utes fell flat on vaulting, the event which they are ranked No.1 in the nation. After scoring a 49.425 in its first competition, Utah finished with a 49.075 on Monday. Baskett anchored the event with a team-high 9.850.

Georgia regained the lead midway through the competition after a 49.425 on bars, led by two-time NCAA all-around champion Courtney Kupets' 9.975.