TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 2 Alabama swept all four events in a 197.425-196.60 women’s gymnastics victory over No. 6 Florida Friday before 12,466 fans who braved a snowstorm to show up at Coleman Coliseum. The scores were the second highest of the season for both teams.
Florida posted season-high totals in the vault (49.425) and the balance beam (49.175) but Alabama won both events with totals of 49.50 and 49.275, respectively. Despite the loss by the Gators (4-2, 3-1 SEC), coach Rhonda Faehn liked the attitude her team showed.
“I was really proud of our team tonight,” Faehn said. “Alabama did a great job tonight. They hit everything. I liked the way our athletes responded when we had little mistakes. They didn’t get down and still competed aggressively. They kept their energy up and fought until the very end. To come into this environment, not be intimidated and put up a good performance shows a lot of potential and promise for this team this year.”
Alabama’s Geralen Stack-Eaton, Kayla Hoffman and Kassi Price swept the top three spots in the uneven bars to finish with 49.175. Florida turned in a 48.925 score with senior All-Americans Amanda Castillo and Maranda Smith producing 9.825 efforts.
In the vault, three Gators posted scores of 9.90 – freshmen Ashanee Dickerson and Dali Lemezan with senior Maranda Smith. Alabama’s Ricki Lebegern won the vault with a 9.975 score with Stack-Eaton finishing second at 9.925.
In the floor exercise, Florida totaled 49.075 to Alabama’s 49.475. Dickerson had a team-high 9.875 performance that featured an Arabian double front. Morgan Dennis of Alabama scored 9.975 to take the event while Stack-Eaton and Lebegern shared second.
Three Gators, led by freshman Liz Green’s 9.875 score which was good enough for a share of third, turned in season-high scores on the balance beam. Alabama’s Ashley Priess won the event with a 9.95 effort, with Stack-Eaton second at 9.90.
Stack-Eaton won the all-around at 39.625 followed by teammates Dennis, Priess and Lebegern. Dickerson totaled 39.35 and King 39.125 for the Gators.
Florida returns home to meet five-time defending NCAA champion and current No. 9 Georgia on Friday, Feb. 19. Meet time is set for 7 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
No. 2 ALABAMA 197.425, No. 6 FLORIDA 196.600
At Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Vault: Alabama 49.50 (1. Ricki Lebegern 9.975; 2. Geralen Stack-Eaton 9.925; T6. Marissa Gutierrez and Kayla Hoffman 9.875; 9. Morgan Dennis 9.850; 11. Ashley Priess 9.825), Florida 49.425 (T3. Dali Lemezan, Maranda Smith and Ashanee Dickerson 9.900; T6. Marissa King 9.875; T9. Nicole Ellis 9.850; T11. Courtney Gladys 9.825).
Uneven parallel bars: Alabama 49.175 (T1. Geralen Stack-Eaton, Kayla Hoffman and Kassi Price 9.875; 6. Ashley Priess 9.800; T8. Ricki Lebegern and Morgan Dennis 9.750), Florida 48.925 (T4. Amanda Castillo and Maranda Smith 9.825; 7. Elizabeth Mahlich 9.775; T8. Ashanee Dickerson and Alicia Goodwin 9.750; 12. Marissa King 9.725).
Balance beam: Alabama 49.275 (1. Ashley Priess 9.950; 2. Geralen Stack-Eaton 9.900;T3. Morgan Dennis 9.875; T8. Kassi Price 9.800; 10. Ricki Legegern 9.750; 11. Marissa Gutierrez 9.700), Florida 49.175 (T3. Liz Green 9.875; 5. Elizabeth Mahlich 9.850; T6. Courtney Gladys and Ashanee Dickerson 9.825; T8. Randy Stageberg 9.800; 12. Marissa King 9.675).
Floor exercise: Alabama 49.475 (1. Morgan Dennis 9.975; T2. Geralen Stack-Eaton and Ricki Lebegern 9.925; T4. Ashley Priess 9.875; T8. Marissa Gutierrez 9.775; 10. Kassi Price 9.750), Florida 49,075 (T4. Ashanee Dickerson 9.875; T6. Marissa King and Maranda Smith 9.850; T8. Amy Ferguson 9.775; 11. Liz Green 9.725; 12. Amanda Castillo 9.600).
All-around results: 1. Geralen Stack-Eaton (A) 39.625; T2. Morgan Dennis (A) and Ashley Priess (A) 39.450; T4. Ricki Lebegern (A) 39.400; 5. Ashanee Dickerson (F) 39.350; 6. Marissa King (F) 39.125.
Records: Alabama 6-1 (4-1 SEC); Florida 4-2 (3-1 SEC).