Wolverines Upset No. 5 Utah in Comeback Thriller

Friday, February 19

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:30 PM

Michigan

195.725

195.100

Utah

From left: Jordan Sexton, Kylee Botterman, Sarah Curtis

2/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics

Feb. 19, 2010

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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: #16 Michigan 195.725, #5 Utah 195.100
Records: U-M (9-1), No. 5 Utah (5-2)
Attendance: 2,301
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 27 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 5:30 p.m. CST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team pulled the upset in a dual meet against No. 5 Utah, upending the Utes for the first time in six years in a 195.725-195.100 victory on Friday night (Feb. 19) in Crisler Arena. The win extended the Wolverines' home win streak to nine and handed Utah just its second loss all season.

The Wolverines opened strong on vault but counted an uncharacteristic fall on the uneven bars to fall behind Utah by 0.050 at the midway point of the meet. U-M held the fort during balance beam and then put up the highest floor exercise total of the season in the final rotation, while the Utes struggled on beam.

Junior Kylee Botterman (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) had one of the best meets of her career, tying a career high on floor (9.950) and equaling a season high on vault (9.875) to capture the floor exercise and all-around (39.475) titles. Senior Sarah Curtis (Reno, Nev./Reno) set three season highs in winning the bars title, which she shared with Botterman, and taking runner-up on vault, floor and the all-around, scoring 9.900 on vault, 9.850 on bars and 39.375 in the all-around.

Michigan's confidence was built early on vault when freshman Brittnee Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty) scored a 9.800 with the third performance, followed by Curtis' 9.900 and matching 9.875s from Botterman and freshman Natalie Beilstein (Butler, Pa./Knoch). Curtis and Botterman anchored the bars lineup with back-to-back scores of 9.850 and senior Kelsey Knutson (Ames, Iowa/Ames) brought it home on beam with a 9.875 to equal her season high and earn Knutson her the fourth beam title of the season.

Floor is where Wolverines put the meet away, starting with Curtis' 9.900 routine in the four-spot, followed by Beilstein's powerful 9.875 and Botterman's 9.950 that had the crowd on its feet.

Michigan returns to the site of its 2009 Big Ten championship win when it faces Illinois, ranked No. 20, on Saturday (Feb. 27) at 5:30 p.m. CST in Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill.

Team Standings	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Michigan	49.225	48.400	48.800	49.300	195.725
Utah	49.200	48.475	48.375	49.050	195.100

Event-by-Event U-M Individual Scores

VaultKatie Zurales         9.775Kari Pearce           9.625Brittnee Martinez     9.800Sarah Curtis          9.900 (2)Kylee Botterman       9.875 (t3)Natalie Beilstein     9.875 (t3)
Uneven BarsKelsey Knutson        9.150Maureen Moody         9.750 (t5)Brittnee Martinez     9.000Jordan Sexton         9.800 (3)Sarah Curtis          9.850 (t1)Kylee Botterman       9.850 (t1)
Balance BeamSarah Curtis          9.725Jaclyn Kramer         9.475Jordan Sexton         9.800 (t4)Brittnee Martinez     9.600Kylee Botterman       9.800 (t4)Kelsey Knutson        9.875 (1)
Floor ExerciseJaclyn Kramer         9.675Brittnee Martinez     9.800Jordan Sexton         9.775Sarah Curtis          9.900 (2)Natalie Beilstein     9.875 (4)Kylee Botterman       9.950 (1)
All-AroundKylee Botterman      39.475 (1)Sarah Curtis         39.375 (2)Brittnee Martinez    38.200 (5)

N O T E S

• Michigan defeated Utah for the first time since 2004. The Wolverines had lost five straight in the regular season and once in the postseason since 2004.

• Michigan put up a season-high 49.300 score on floor.

• Michigan's vault total was the second highest of the season with a 49.225. Michigan has posted its highest vault scores of the year in the last three meets, scoring a season-high 49.250 at West Virginia (Feb. 5), going 49.200 against Minnesota (Feb. 13) and 49.225 tonight.

• Junior Kylee Botterman tied a career high on floor with a 9.950 routine to win her fourth title on the event this season and the 14th of her career. Botterman also tied a season high on vault with a 9.875, tying for third. She has not finished worse than third on vault all season long (seven meets). She won the all-around with a 39.475, taking her fifth all-around title in seven meets this year.

• Senior Sarah Curtis set a season high on vault, floor and in the all-around. Her 9.900 vault was good for runner-up honors, placing her in the top five on vault in each of the last six meets. Her 9.900 on floor was also good for runner-up and her 39.375 in the all-around gave her three runner-up finishes.

• Senior Kelsey Knutson tied her season high on beam with a 9.875. Knutson has scored 9.850 or better in each of the last six meets.

Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423