Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson
The No. 6 University of Florida gymnastics team (5-2, 3-2 SEC) edged up its season-best total for the second time in a seven-day span to take the win over No. 8 Alabama (3-4, 2-4 SEC) Friday in front of a Stephen C. O’Connell Center crowd of 7,047 – the seventh-largest crowd in the program’s history. The Gators added 0.025 to their season-high to post a 196.875-195.625 win over the Crimson Tide Friday.
Florida led the meet from the beginning, but the largest lead was just the 0.250 margin UF held heading into the final rotation. Alabama was forced to count a fall on beam, allowing Florida to expand its lead on the final rotation to give UF its largest dual meet margin of victory (1.25) in the series history since 1983.
Florida surpassed the 49.00 scoring mark for its team total on each event, marking the second consecutive time this season Florida has passed that scoring threshold. No falls were counted toward Florida’s final total.
The Gators claimed at least a share of four of the five event titles Friday. Junior All-American Melanie Sinclair claimed the all-around title with a Florida season-best total of 39.55. It matches the third-highest total of her Gator career. Smith, competing as an all-arounder for the third-consecutive meet, equaled her collegiate-best total to finish as runner-up with her all-around total of 39.35.
Sinclair opened the meet with a pair of event wins. She and Smith shared the evening’s vault title with Alabama’s Morgan Dennis and Kayla Hoffman, as all turned in marks of 9.90. An aggressive routine showcased by ruler-straight handstands gave Sinclair her fifth uneven bars title of the season. She received a 9.95 – matching the evening’s high mark in any event. Smith raised her collegiate bars best for the second time this season, upping it to 9.925 to finish as runner-up.
Florida was just 0.05 away from its beam season-best Friday, turning in a 49.20. Senior All-American Corey Hartung’s strong and steady routine was punctuated by a stuck round-off 2 1/2 twist dismount. Her 9.95 mark gave Hartung her third beam title of the season. It was the fourth consecutive meet that she has received a score of 9.90 or above for the event. Sinclair shared second overall at 9.85 with UA’s Ricki Lebegern.
Alabama junior Morgan Dennis, the 2007 NCAA floor exercise champion, won that event title at 9.925. She was followed by Sinclair, who earned a 9.85. Four gymnasts shared third at 9.825 – UF’s Amy Ferguson, Elizabeth Mahlich, Hartung and UA’s Kassi Price.
Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson
Photo Gallery: Gymnastics vs. Alabama, 2/20/09
DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES