Saturday was a bittersweet day for the ISU gymnastics team. The second-seeded Cyclones made an early exit from the post season, placing third at the North Central Regional in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The team score of 193.375 was not enough to qualify the Cyclones for the NCAA Championship team competition. The NCAA meet will be held at the University of Georgia April 19.

However, Stephanie Sweitzer captured first place on the balance beam, and Sissy Huey placed third in all-around competition. Both junior gymnasts advanced to the NCAA Championships this weekend.

Shelly Kringen was another bright spot for Iowa State. She won the regional title in the vault for the second straight year with a score of 9.775.

Kringen was also named Regional Co-Gymnast of the Year at the meet. The junior shared the honor with Utah’s Deidra Graham and Minnesota’s MaryAnne Kelley.

Fifth-rated Utah qualified for its 20th consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships by winning the competition on its home floor, scoring 194.075 to edge Denver, which came in second with 193.900.

West Virginia finished in fourth place (192.400), Utah State placed fifth (191.200) and Air Force took sixth (190.200).

The meet was termed a “fall-fest” by those in attendance. The favored Utes even stumbled, recording an out of bounds deduction on the floor exercise and counting two of their three falls on the vault.

The door was wide open for the Cyclones and the underdog Denver.

While Utah was having trouble, Iowa State was making a respectable showing on the floor exercise.

Kringen led the way, scoring 9.850 and a tie for third place. Huey, the Big 12 floor champion, tied for fifth with a 9.825. The Cyclones moved to the vault and recorded a 48.350 to keep pace with the leaders.

Along with Kringen, Karen Kuplicki and Lauren Goldberg also came through for Iowa State. Sophomore Kuplicki finished fourth with a score of 9.725, while Goldberg earned 9.675, good enough to tie for sixth.

However, it went downhill from there. Iowa State scored a season-low 47.825 on the uneven bars.

Throughout the regular season, Iowa State had consistently scored high in the event. Three ISU gymnasts fell off the apparatus, and the team was forced to count a 9.175 and a 9.250.

Huey, a two-time uneven bars champion, led the Cyclones in the event, placing third with a 9.90. Juniors Dena Albacker and Sweitzer scored a 9.775 and 9.725, respectively.

The team score totaled 48.350 on the balance beam, but it was not enough to hold off Utah. Sweitzer carried the load on the beam, but freshman Chee Chee Calina, Courtney Sarrett and Huey all chipped in with 9.775 each to tie for sixth place.

ISU coach K.J. Kindler said the mistakes were mental, rather than physical errors.

“It was really disappointing,” Kindler said. “To be honest, I think the pressure kind of got to us.”

Smith said the Cyclones were in the meet, but just couldn’t get over the top.

“Utah was opening the door, but we weren’t walking through,” the senior co-captain said. “We just couldn’t pull it through.”

Denver will be making its first trip to nationals, in large part because it was able to stay on the apparatus.

“Denver hit every routine,” Smith said. “They were the only team able to stay on.”

Kindler said the scene in the locker room was very emotional. “They were feeling it in the locker room,” she said. “To be honest with you, it was hard to say anything.”

“We have two great seniors who have done a lot for this team,” she said. “I commended them for a great season.”

The Cyclones finished an outstanding season with a 14-8 overall record.