PHOTO ESSAY: No. 9 Michigan at No. 5 Utah

March 8, 2019 Emily Howell-Forbes Event Coverage, Featured Carousel, Features, NCAA WAG, Recap

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No. 5 Utah hosted No. 9 Michigan on Saturday, March 2, 2019. It was senior night for the Utes, and emotions ran high for the whole team as the seniors performed their last routines in the Huntsman Center. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

The Utes started the meet strong with several stuck Yurchenko full vaults, including senior Macey Roberts (pictured) celebrates her stick with co-head coach Tom Farden. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

The Wolverines answered back with several strong bar routines of their own. Olivia Karas celebrates her bar routine, pointing up in tribute to Chip Hills, former Wolverine Cailee Hills’ father who died. Karas’ routine scored a 9.925 and managed to hold out through the Utah bars rotation to tie for the event title. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

MyKayla Skinner once again nailed her double twisting Yurchenko with only a slight slide of her feet keeping her from a perfect score. A 10.0 has been elusive to the junior in 2019 even causing controversy with some fans saying many of her 9.975s deserved to be evaluated higher. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Michigan started off on vault with a stuck Yurchenko full from freshman Maddie Mariani. Mariani posted a season and career high of a 9.900. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Michigan senior Emma McLean, who was out of the vault lineup for a few weeks due to a shoulder injury, posted a 9.900 with a stuck vault of her own in only second meet back on the event. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Junior Missy Reinstadtler has been limited to bars for most of the season for the Utes due to injuries. However, she continues to provide a high score, posting one of three 9.925s for the team. Utah only put up five routines on bars, choosing to scratch Alexia Burch. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Anchoring the beam lineup for the Utes, Skinner stuck her double back dismount resulting in huge cheers and chants of 10.00 from the crowd in Huntsman. However, her 9.850 elicited boos from the 14,343 fans in attendance. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

The boos from Skinner’s beam score carried over into the beginning of Karas’ floor routine. However, the Michigan senior was unbothered, performing her routine with great enthusiasm and finishing by pointing to the Michigan fans in the stands. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Things were tight going into the final rotation with every deduction counting toward a potential upset. Sophomore Lauren Farley did her job, leading off the Wolverines on beam with a 9.925. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Utah senior Macey Roberts finished her senior night with a career high 9.925. Here, Reinstadler hugs her after an emotional salute to the crowd. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Head coach Bev Plocki gives Karas a hug after the senior hit a clutch 9.925 for the Wolverines, which followed a relatively shaky 9.750. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Freshman Natalie Wojcik capped off the beam rotation with a third 9.925 on the event for Michigan. The trio of scores tied for the event title. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Skinner capped off the meet for Utah with a near-perfect 9.975, sealing the win for Utah with a 197.975 to Michigan’s 197.350. The score capped off a great performance in what could be her last time competing in the Huntsman Center until potentially 2021. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Essay by Emily Howell-Forbes

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