Gymnastics Beats Oklahoma to Open Season
1/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ?? Alabama Gymnastics head coach Sarah Patterson said in the weeks leading up the Crimson Tide's first meet of the 2007 season that the Crimson Tide would be young and it would make mistakes, but she also said it would be very exciting.
In its meet against Oklahoma tonight she was proved right on all accounts. The Tide, getting 17 of its 24 routines from its freshmen and sophomores, overcame a pair of falls on the uneven bars to beat the Sooners 195.7-194.5 in front of 11,996 fans here in Coleman Coliseum.
"There were a lot of firsts that happened tonight," Patterson said, "a lot of things you can take and certainly use as a positive. That is what we are going to do. I'm just proud that our team, after a couple of shaky routines, some bad routines on the uneven bars, held their composure. We had a choice ... either fold at that point, when you know you are down and behind ... or you can go out and tackle the balance beam and do a great job."
Alabama did just that, turning in a solid balance beam score of 48.925 led by a 9.825 from junior Terin Humphrey and a 9.8 from senior Erin Rightley. In contrast, with the meet still in the balance, Oklahoma finished up with a 48.025 on the balance beam, counting two falls in its total.
Alabama's freshmen, who accounted for 11 total routines, finished off a blistering 49.450 set of floor exercise routines with Kassi Price scoring a 9.900 and Morgan Dennis posting a meet best 9.925. Sophomore Ashley O'Neal, freshman Ricki Lebegern and senior Erin Rightley all scored 9.875s to start the Tide's final rotation off. A pair of breaks put the Sooner's floor total at 48.550
Price's floor exercise score was enough to win her the all-around with a 39.375, just .025 ahead of Sooner senior Brittney Koncak-Schuman. Dennis won the floor exercise, Lebegern, Price and Oklahoma's Kiara Redmon tied for top honors on the vault and senior Terin Humphrey won the uneven bars. Sooners Koncak-Schuman and Lori Winn won the balance beam with a 9.85. The Sooners posted a 48.550 on the floor after a pair of breaks midway through their lineup.
The Tide's new look was evident from the first event, the vault, on. Patterson put three freshmen in vault and anchored the lineup with Lebegern and Price who scored matching 9.85s leading the Tide to a 49.125 team score. Dennis chipped in a 9.825 which was matched by Humphrey. The Sooners scored a 49.050 on the vault
The Tide struggled at the start of uneven bars when its first two competitors fell, but rebounded with a pair of 9.775s from junior Kaitlin White and freshman Jacqueline Shealy. Alabama finished strong with a 9.875 from Price and a meet best 9.925 from Humphrey which pushed Alabama to a 48.2. Unfortunately Shealy hurt her knee on her landing and was taken from the floor to be examined. Oklahoma started off with a 48.975 on the uneven bars.
Alabama hits the road next week, traveling to Gainesville, Fla. to face the No. 3 ranked Florida before returning home Jan. 26 for the Power of Pink meet vs. Auburn. Tickets for the Crimson Tide events are available through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) or online at www.rolltide.com.
