BYU gymnastics celebrates another career-high score on beam. (BYU Photo)

BYU gymnastics secures narrow victory over Boise State with 8 new career-highs

Three 9.9 scores on the floor rotation propelled BYU gymnastics to a narrow 196.700-196.300 victory over Boise State in the Smith Fieldhouse Saturday.

The Cougars started off their first rotation with the vault, finishing with a score of 48.80. Sadie Miner-Van Tassell recorded the highest vault score of the meet for the Cougars with a 9.85. Miner-Van Tassell and Boise State’s Emily Lopez tied for first place in vaults. At the end of the first rotation, Boise State led with a score of 49.35.

“One thing I will say is we got to start a little stronger on the vaults…because the other three events did their job today,” BYU head coach Guard Young said.

Miner-Van Tassell started the second rotation of bars with a score of 9.82, bringing the Cougars up to 58.62 points, followed by Alixx Mason who broke her career-high in bars with a score of 9.87. Another career-high in bars was made by Haley Pitou who finished the second rotation with a score of 9.925. BYU led 49.20 to 49.00 by the end of the second rotation.

Freshman Mina Margraf made her season debut for the Cougars in the third rotation with a score of 9.70 on beam. Lauren Ono and Elease Rollins recorded career-highs on beam at the meet with the former earning a score of 9.850 and the latter 9.950.

Sophia McClelland and Miner-Van Tassell each finished with a score of 9.875 on beam. BYU remained in the lead after the third rotation was over. Young said beam and bars have been the anchor of the team this year.

“I feel really excited, I did make a couple of mistakes but I am proud of myself for staying calm and finishing off good,” Margraf said of her debut. The freshman said she is looking forward to “getting experience this year.”

BYU ended the meet with three career-high performances in the floor rotation which secured a win for the Cougars with a score of 196.700 to 196.300 for the Broncos. Lindsey Hunter kicked off the floor rotation, recording a 9.800, followed by Abby Beeston, making a career-high of 9.900. Miner-Van Tassell and Adeline Rieder both recorded floor career highs of 9.925 and 9.875, respectively. Brittney Vitkauskas closed the meet with a score of 9.900 on the floor.

Miner-Van Tassell finished in first place in the all-around for the meet with a score of 39.475, breaking her own career-high all-around score.

“I am just proud of the team honestly because we had a few mistakes here and there but we really pulled it together very well,” Miner-Van Tassell said.

Miner-Van Tassell said she “tries to remain as calm as possible” because getting too excited could impair her performance.

The Cougars hit the road on Feb. 12 to face Boise State once again at the Extramile Arena in Idaho.

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