The No. 13 Pioneer gymnastics team (11-4) continued the season with strong performances as DU defeated Utah State in Utah on Friday, then returned home and fell to No. 11 Auburn Sunday afternoon.

The Pioneers posted a 195.250 – 192.300 victory against Utah State despite competing without junior All-American Jessica López who was in New York preparing for the 2008 Tyson American Cup. The Pioneers had a season-high performance of 196.575 on Sunday, but it just was not enough as they were a mere quarter of a point short of Auburn’s 196.600. The Pioneers are now 11-4 in the season.

“I’m really proud of how they did,” said Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart. “Especially after coming off of a road meet at Utah State on Friday night coming home Saturday afternoon and then turning around and competing on Sunday. Overall, I think, they did a really good job.”

López represented her native Venezuela in the 2008 Tyson American Cup at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday where she finished sixth, posting scores of 14.225 on the vault, 14.075 on balance beam, a 14.80 on the uneven bars and a 14.30 on the floor exercise. Her all-around score was 57.400.

“It was a really great experience for me to go up there and do all the routines in my preparation for the Olympics,” López said. “I did not know I was going to compete until 10 minutes before the meet, so when they told me I just went up there and took advantage of the opportunity.”

López was the second-highest international finisher in women’s competition.

López returned to Denver to win her sixth all-around title of the season on Sunday improving her NCAA ranking to No. 3 in the nation in the all-around and in the top-20 in three events.

In Utah, Senior Sasha Sullivan won her first all-around title of the season with a 39.250 followed by sophomore Kelley Hennigan in second with a 38.450.

The Pioneers began Friday’s meet on the uneven bars posting a 49.800 as senior Courtney Butler led the way finishing second overall recording a 9.825 behind Utah State’s Nicole Simoneau’s 9.85. Sullivan finished tied for third with a score of 9.8 followed by sophomores Ellen McCarthy and Hennigan in a tie for fifth with scores of 9.775.

Denver dominated on the vault as Butler won her second title of the season with a score of 9.875 followed by Hennigan in second place with a 9.825, while senior Paige Schuster competed in vault for the first time this season, posting a career-high 9.8 putting her in third-place.

Even without López, the Pioneers had their best road performance of the season on floor exercise with a score of 49.150 as Sullivan took first place posting a career-high tying 9.95 followed by freshman Amanda Johanson who recorded a career-high 9.875 and finished in second. Junior Liz Meals and McCarthy also contributed with scores of 9.8 placing them tied for fifth.

López’s absence was noticed as the Pioneers slightly struggled on the balance beam posting a less than average 48.250. Brown claimed her second title of the season with a 9.8 just in front of McCarthy who posted a 9.775. Sullivan recorded a 9.725 putting her in fourth place but contributing to her all-around score.

The Pioneers got off to a quick start on Sunday. The opened the meet on the vault where they posted a team score of 49.075. López finished third, with career-high tying 9.925 with Hennigan in fifth with a 9.85.

Butler led the Pioneers on the uneven bars and matched her career-high 9.9 just in front of second-place López, who recorded a 9.875. Schuster finished in third setting a career-high 9.825, as did Hennigan finishing fifth with a 9.8.

On the beam the Pioneers posted a season-high 49.275. Junior Nikki Brown finished second with a 9.925. Next for Denver was Sullivan in fifth with a 9.875 along with Junior Lauren Garan finishing in sixth with 9.85. Also contributing was López scoring a 9.825 and McCarthy with a 9.8.

The Pioneers finished the meet with floor exercises they posted a team score of 49.050, with López in first with a 9.95, followed by Sullivan in second recording a 9.925.

“Now it’s just capitalizing on our opportunities and getting rid of some little mistakes,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. “We’re right where we need to be.”

DU will host a tri-meet with Pittsburgh and Texas Woman’s University on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.