Michigan Goes 1-1 at Southern Utah Tri-Meet

Friday, February 19

Cedar City, Utah

7:00 PM MT

Michigan

Southern Utah, UC Davis

2/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics

Feb. 19, 2016

Austin Sheppard

» Michigan suffered just its second loss of the season.
» U-M posted its lowest score of the season with a 195.750.
» Olivia Karas won vault for the seventh time in eight meets this year.

• Complete Results

Site: Cedar City, Utah (Centrum Arena)
Score: #23 Southern Utah 196.300, #3 Michigan 195.750, UC Davis 194.025
Records: U-M (9-2), Southern Utah (6-4), UC Davis (4-9)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 26 -- at Oklahoma (Norman, Okla.), 6:45 p.m. CST

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team went 1-1 at the Southern Utah tri-meet on Friday (Feb. 19), posting the lowest score of the season, a 195.750, at Centrum Arena. No. 23 Southern Utah tallied a 196.300, and UC Davis marked a 194.025.

The Wolverines started the night on bars. Michigan had two of its best routines of the season, but both garnered just a 9.875 as senior Austin Sheppard and junior Nicole Artz each put on a show. For Sheppard, the score is a season high. U-M held a slim .075 lead over host Southern Utah after one rotation.

Michigan had a rough rotation with beam. The Wolverines counted a fall to record a 48.250, just the second time in 2016 the team has scored below a 49.000 on a rotation.

The Wolverines rebounded when they went to floor, putting up a 49.250. Junior Talia Chiarelli had the biggest performance of the night with a 9.925. Artz scored a 9.875 and Brown a 9.850.

U-M finished off with a good vault score, despite only competing five gymnasts. Freshman Olivia Karas won the event with a 9.90. She has scored a 9.90 on six of her eight vaults this year.

Despite Michigan posting its lowest score of the year, there were several positives to take away from the meet. Sophomore Brianna Brown earned her first all-around victory of the season with a 39.225.

The Wolverines won or shared on three events as well. Along with Karas' victory on vault, Artz and Sheppard tied for the win on bars. Sophomore Lauren Marinez was the team's bright spot on beam as she scored a 9.875 to tie for her second victory of the season.

Michigan will be back on the road next Friday (Jan. 26) as they travel to Norman, Oklahoma, to take on the nation's current No. 1 team Oklahoma at 6:45 p.m. CST.