No. 3 Red Rocks Impress In Season Opener Against No. 6 LSU
Jan 6, 2023, 8:49 PM
Utah Red Rocks’ Maile O’Keefe does her floor routine during a gymnastics meet against the Cal Golden Bears at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Utah won and O'Keefe was the team’s high scorer. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY- The No. 3 Red Rocks played host to the No. 6 LSU Tigers Friday night at the Huntsman Center in their season opener and did not disappoint. They beat the Tigers in front of a rowdy crowd 197.275 to 196.775 while still have some small things to build upon through the season.
It’s also @UtahGymnastics SZN…#GoUtes #UteProud #trUSt pic.twitter.com/j3KWNHkfs2
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 7, 2023
The Utes are starting where they finished last season as the third ranked team in the nation with hopes a little maturity and better depth will get them a little closer to earning a National Title. Utah was voted preseason as the top team once again in the Pac-12 Conference.
First Rotation: Utah Vault, LSU Bars
Utah Vault Lineup/Scores:
- Jillian Hoffman: 9.825
- Abby Brenner: 9.875
- Lucy Stanhope: 9.875
- Makenna Smith: 9.900
- Grace McCallum: 9.300
- Jaedyn Rucker: 9.875
Total Vault Score: 49.350
Rucker with the strong finish on vault 💪🏽#GoUtes #RedRocks pic.twitter.com/6KHAwQkjbz
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 7, 2023
LSU Bars/Scores:
- Kiya Johnson: 9.775
- Elena Arenas: 9.750
- Alexis Jeffrey: 9.875
- Aleah Finnegan: 9.750
- Alyona Shchennikova: 9.775
- Haleigh Bryant: 9.825
Total Bars Score: 49.000
Second Rotation: Utah Bars/LSU Vault
LSU Vault:
- Elena Arenas: 9.850
- Alyona Shchennikova: 9.825
- Aleah Finnegan: 9.850
- KJ Johnson: 9.775
- Kiya Johnson: 9.875
- Haleigh Bryant: 9.900
Vault Total: 49.300
LSU Total Score: 98.300
UTAH Bars:
- Makenna Smith: 9.850
- Abby Brenner: 9.800
- Sage Thompson: 9.800
- Maile O’Keefe: 9.850
- Cristal Isa: 9.775
- Grace McCallum: 9.925
Bounced back like the Queen she is. All hail, Grace McCallum.#GoUtes #RedRocks pic.twitter.com/xX99eWVymD
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 7, 2023
Bars Total: 49.225
Utah Total Score: 98.575
Third Rotation: Utah Beam/LSU Floor
Utah Beam:
- Amelie Morgan: 9.825
- Cristal Isa: 9.875
- Grace McCallum: 9.875
- Abby Paulson: 9.875
- Kara Eaker: 9.900
- Maile O’Keefe: 9.950
✌🏽✌🏽before bringing it home.
Maile O’Keefe earns a 9.950 for this routine.#GoUtes #RedRocks #BeamTeam pic.twitter.com/YwGbggARwA— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 7, 2023
Beam Total: 49.475
Total Score: 148.050
LSU Floor:
- Sierra Ballard: 9.825
- Alyona Shchennikova: 9.825
- KJ Johnson: 9.500
- Aleah Finnegan: 9.950
- Haleigh Bryant: 9.875
- Kiya Johnson: 9.900
Floor Total: 49.375
Total Score: 147.675
Fourth Rotation: LSU Beam/ Utah Floor
LSU Beam:
- Kai Rivers: 9.700
- Bryce Wilson: 9.775
- KJ Johnson: 9.725
- Haleigh Bryant: 9.850
- Aleah Finnegan: 9.900
- Kiya Johnson: 9.850
Beam Score: 49.100
FINAL SCORE: 196.775
Utah Floor:
- Abby Paulson: 9.800
- Jaylene Gilstrap: 9.850
- Maile O’Keefe: 9.850
- Makenna Smith: 9.875
- Grace McCallum: 9.850
- Jaedyn Rucker: 9.000
Floor Score: 49.225
FINAL SCORE: 197.275
Red Rocks win!#GoUtes #RedRocks #LightTheU https://t.co/18y5F5XSfS
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 7, 2023
Up Next For The Red Rocks
The Red Rocks will be close by but not at home next week as they head to the Maverik Center in West Valley for the Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet that will also feature BYU, Utah State, and Southern Utah. The quad-meet will take place next Friday, January 13 at 7 pm MT.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports
