The Utes (5-0), who have worked their way through their schedule with one impressive win after another, continued their roll Friday with a 196.700-193.925 win over the Cougars (1-5) at the Marriott Center.
Several of Utah's gymnasts couldn't practice this week because of illness, and standout Ashley Postell didn't compete in the all-around because of it, but the Utes still earned a mark that tied their second-best effort of the 2008 season.
Utah also scored a 196.700 at Arizona State before reaching a 197.750 a week ago against Minnesota.
Utah sophomore Daria Bijak won the all-around with a 39.375 in just her second appearance in the all-around.
"We didn't look as sharp as we have been, we looked like a team that has been sick all week," Utah coach Greg Marsden said.
Marsden went on to critique the team's little hops and lack of crispness before adding that he "was being harsh," hinting he knows how good his team can be with a bit more improvement.
"We need to take another step forward," he said.
The flu-bug that made its way through the team this week affected the floor lineup the most with Postell sitting out.
The Utes were already down one gymnast after Stephanie Neff strained her Achilles tendon in practice. But a juggled lineup didn't hurt the Utes with Bijak (9.825) competing on the event for the second time this year and Nina Kim (9.8) making her second appearance. The Utes scored a 49.075, even with the normally consistent Kristina Baskett stepping out of bounds scoring only 9.625.
The big event for Utah Friday was the vault, where the Utes scored a 49.325, their second-highest score on the apparatus this season.
Utah, ranked second behind Florida on the event going into Friday's competition with a 49.237 average to the Gators' 49.387 average, was just short of last week's 49.55 it scored on the event against Minnesota.
Every gymnast scored 9.8 or higher on the vault Friday and was led by freshman Kyndal Robarts' season high of 9.9 and Ashley Postell's 9.925.
Several years ago the Utes wouldn't have been a top vaulting team the way they are now, throwing a variety of vaults that demonstrates their power.
"That's when we stressed execution and beauty," Marsden said. "I wish I could take credit for it, we've just recruited vaulting well."
That difference should give the Utes an advantage, Postell hopes.
"I think that is how most judges separate us from other teams because most teams use one vault," Postell said. "It will count the most at regionals and nationals."
The Utes didn't need any such separation Friday with the win coming easily.
While the Utes are having one of their best seasons in several years, the Cougars have struggled with their young and injured team getting just one win, over Pitt. Friday's meet was the first of the season at home for the Cougars, but even being on their own floor didn't help them much against the stronger Utes.
The Cougars were steady until they got to the balance beam, where their first three competitors all had trouble and scored below 9.45.
Still, Friday's score was a season high for the Cougars.
"We're getting better and better," BYU coach Brad Cattermole said. "The girls are working their buns off, they're working as hard as they can, and we'll get better."
lwodraska@sltrib.com
