No. 2 Florida Gymnastics Take Win at No. 17 Auburn with Nation’s Sixth Highest Score
AUBURN,
Ala. –The No. 2 Florida gymnastics team (8-1, 4-1 SEC) used the
nation’s sixth-highest score of the season to finish its Southeastern
Conference road schedule with a win at No. 17 Auburn (3-9, 0-5 SEC)
Friday in front of an Auburn Arena crowd of 4,626. The Gators posted a
197.50 while the Tigers turned in a season-best 196.875.
There
were some changes in the lineup Friday as the Gator coaching staff
wanted to give some gymnasts a break and also wanted to see how other
routines would score. Florida Head Coach Rhonda Faehn liked what she
saw Friday.
“I was very pleased with the team’s performance
tonight. It was wonderful to see everyone compete so aggressively and
confidently especially knowing that we changed up the lineups quite a
bit, especially on floor. They all responded really well,” Faehn said.
“They just did a great job overall.
Only one Gator competed as
an all-arounder Friday and that gymnast picked up the win. Florida
sophomore All-American Alaina Johnson picked up her first all-around
title of 2012 and the fourth of her career with a Gator season-high
total of 39.625.
The Gators opened Friday’s meet with a strong
set on the uneven bars. Florida was six-for-six for stuck landings
(seven-for-seven counting the exhibition performer) as the Gators
tallied a 49.40 for their third-highest bars total of the season.
Florida’s last half of the lineup all turned in marks of 9.90 or
better. Sophomore Mackenzie Caquatto picked up a share of her fourth
consecutive bar win with her mark of 9.925. Auburn’s llyson Sandusky
and Kylie Shields also shared the bar title at 9.925.Marissa King and
Alaina Johnson also posted 9.90s.
On vault, the Gators turned in
a season-best 49.575, which also stands as the second-highest vault
total in school history. Four Gators posted marks of 9.90 or better,
led by collegiate-best mark of 9.95 from UF’s final two vaulters
Johnson and Kytra Hunter. The vault win is the second consecutive for
Johnson and the second of the season for Hunter. Junior Ashanée
Dickerson took third with her season-best 9.925 while Nicole Ellis also
turned in a season-best of 9.90.
Florida’s floor lineup had some
new faces as the Gator coaches decided to hold out a pair of floor
All-Americans - Dickerson and King - as well as Hunter (currently
ranked No. 3 nationally on the event) to give them a well-deserved
break from the pounding of the event. The Gators turned in a 49.05 and
were led by Johnson’s 9.875 which tied for second overall with AU’s Toi
Garcia. Senior Amy Ferguson opened up the floor set with a 9.85. The
evening’s floor title was claimed by AU’s Brianna Guy at 9.90.
Balance
beam was the Gators’ finishing event as the team matched their
season-best total of 49.475, which ties for the eighth-best in school
history. King anchored the set by matching her collegiate-best of 9.95
for the second time this season. The mark gave King her fourth beam win
of 2012 and she shared the title with AU’s Guy. Johnson’s set her
collegiate beam best of 9.90 Friday to take third.
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