Michigan
Utah
Seniors, Artz Shine in Loss to No. 6 Utah
3/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 4, 2016
» Nicole Artz tallied the 11th best all-around score in school history.
» The team posted season-high scores on bars.
• Complete Results | Photo Gallery 
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #6 Utah 197.525, #5 Michigan 197.050
Records: U-M (9-4, 4-1 Big Ten), Utah (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 12 -- at Big Five Meet (State College, Pa.), 1 p.m. ET
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team put up some amazing scores, but counted a fall to lose on senior night to No. 6 Utah on Friday (March 4) at Crisler Center.
Junior Nicole Artz put on a show for the Crisler crowd with a career-high 39.725 in the all-around. It is the 11th best all-around score in school history and highest since Elise Ray scored a 39.800 at the 2004 Big Ten Championships.
"Nicole has been through a lot these last couple of weeks, but she is a rock," said head coach Bev Plocki. "She is tough as nails and doesn't let anything deter her from her focus and what she wants to do."
Artz set a career high on bars with a 9.975, matched her career high on floor with a 9.975, set a season high on vault with a 9.850 and added a modest 9.925 on beam.
The seniors also had a solid final regular season home meet prior to being honored after the meet. Lindsay Williams scored a 9.900 on bars, 9.875 on beam and 9.850 on floor. Austin Sheppard had a 9.875 on both vault and bars. Briley Casanova missed her seventh consecutive meet.
Utah took the lead after the first rotation, but Michigan stormed back with its top bars score of the year. The Wolverines had three scores of 9.900 or better to finish with a 49.500 on the event. Freshman Olivia Karas set a new career high with a 9.900 to join Williams and Artz in the 9.900 category.
Michigan then went to beam where two falls put them in a hole. Despite the falls and a 48.800 score for the rotation, U-M would still rally to put forth a 49.475 on floor.
Artz was just shy of a perfect 10.0, receiving a perfect score from one of the two judges. The 9.975 was the second of her career, matching her 2015 score vs. Nebraska. Karas scored a 9.925 and Chiarelli had a 9.900 to keep the crowd on their feet for the final portion of the meet.
Even with the fall, the Wolverines still scored more than a 197.000 for the fourth time this season. It is the third score over 197.000 at home this season.
No words for how great Nicole has been this meet so far. Watch part of her 9.925 beam. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/v5oGukzM7f
-- Michigan Gymnastics (@umichwgym) March 5, 2016
Michigan will have one more meet before starting postseason competition. The Wolverines will travel to State College, Pennsylvania, for the Big Five Meet next Saturday (March 12) at 1 p.m. U-M will compete against Penn State, Iowa, Rutgers and Minnesota to determine the Big Ten Championships seeding.
Players Mentioned
