Cedar City, Utah - For the second Friday night in a row, the No. 23 Thunderbird gymnastics team will be inside the Centrum Arena, this time to host the Utah State Aggies.

Last week the Thunderbirds took on the Utah Utes in front of a packed house, and scored a 195.600, which was a big improvement from the 194.100 they scored in their season opener in Denver.

“I thought the meet against Utah was fantastic,” SUU head coach Scott Bauman said. “I thought our crowd was amazing, the energy in the Centrum Arena was absolutely magic. I was a little bit disappointed with our bar team, but at the same time I loved the way the girls fought back on the other three events, they looked strong. They're going to be right there in the mix at the end of the year.”

The Thunderbirds had several impressive performances against Utah, including Madyson Blake who scored a 9.900 on the floor which led to recognition from the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference as Co-Specialist of the week. That marked SUU's second 9.9 of the season, as Kristen Yee was given one in the team's opening meet in Denver.

Several members of the team have shown new skills in their routines this season, which can have some adjustment period. However, SUU's Memory Shettles said the team seems comfortable with them, they just have to let that show in meets.

“I feel like for the most part everyone has their new skills dialed in, everybody's pretty confident in them,” she said. “We just need to be able to be able to be confident in them in a competition situation.”

The meet against the Aggies will be the first meet for the Thunderbirds this season against an MRGC opponent.

Bauman said he expects to see a very good Utah State team on Friday night, which he has gotten accustomed to seeing.

“Utah State's bringing down a very tough, very competitive team,” he said. “They always seem to bring their best when they come against us so we expect a very tough match.”

SUU's Stacie Webb, who led the way for the Thunderbirds on both vault and beam against Utah, said she enjoys taking on Utah State.

“Whenever we competed against Utah State in the past they would put their best foot forward against us, and that would really help us put our best foot forward against them,” she said. “We play off of each other and I think that helps us realize 'we can do this, we're fine' even against a strong team.”

The Thunderbirds and Aggies will meet both this weekend and the one after.

The Aggies used a 194.100 to outscore then ranked No. 16 Kent State last weekend, giving them a win in their first two meets of the year which were both at home.

McKinzey Martinez won the all-around in that meet with a 38.500, as she has had a solid start to her senior season.

The meet Friday night is scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. inside the Centrum Arena.

A livestream of the meet can be viewed online at WatchBigSky.com. Updates can be followed on Twitter @SUUGameday.