Gymnastics Finishes Second at Quad Meet
3/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
LOS ANGELES, Calif. ?? The Alabama Gymnastics team downed UCLA and Cal-State Fullerton here in Pauley Pavilion today, but couldn’t overcome having to count two falls on two different events in its total, falling to Arkansas.
The Crimson Tide scored a 195.925 while the LadyBacks totaled a 196.425. UCLA, which also counted two falls, scored a 195.800 while Fullerton closed out the meet with a 192.575.
Alabama dug itself into a hole early starting on the balance beam with falls from junior Amanda Montgomery and sophomore Ricki Lebegern before coming back with a stellar vault rotation, during which Alabama posted a season high, and a floor exercise score that was its second highest of the season, before finishing out with two falls on the uneven bars from junior Cassie Martin and Lebegern.
“It is disappointing to have mental lapses that cost us not only the opportunity to have a high score, but more importantly win the meet,” Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. “Once we struggled on the first event, the goal was to show our desire, determination and fight to put ourselves back in a position to win the meet and we were exactly where we wanted to be when we had inexcusable performances from Ricki Lebegern and Cassie Martin on the uneven bars.”
Freshman Kayla Hoffman, who fought through a stomach ailment that hit her late Friday night and lingered through the weekend, won the vault with a career-best score. Sophomore Kassi Price won the uneven bars while Sophomore Morgan Dennis was second in the all-around with a season-best 39.475.
“We had some great things we could definitely take from the meet,” Patterson said. “But this weekend, for the first time this year, this team has shown a lack of mental toughness. From a coaching standpoint that is completely unacceptable. I apologize to our fans, especially those that traveled 1000s of miles to see us, and our alumni for this disappointing weekend. We plan to rectify the problem in the practice arena.”
“I am extremely proud of Kayla who had stomach virus the day in between the two meets and came back with career-best scores,” Patterson said.
Sophomore Casey Overton got the Tide off to a strong start on the balance beam posting a team-best 9.875. Trouble followed though and for the second meet in a row, Alabama had to count a break on the beam when Montgomery and Lebegern both fell. Alabama rebounded from there with junior Brittany Magee posting a 9.85 followed by a 9.775 from Price and a 9.825 from Dennis.
Alabama came back with a strong floor exercise rotation, scoring a 49.375 behind a 9.95 from Dennis and a 9.9 from Price. Senior Kaitlin White scored a 9.85 as did Hoffman. Magee and junior Ashley O’Neal both scored 9.825s. It was O’Neal’s first appearance in the competitive lineup since the Georgia meet a month ago. She has been working through an ankle issue this season.
A strong floor turn led to an even stronger vault set with Alabama turning in a season-best score of 49.550 behind a career-best 9.975 from Hoffman, a 9.925 from Dennis and a career-best 9.9 from Overton. Magee got Alabama off to a solid start with a 9.875, which ties her season-best mark, a score matched by Lebegern.
Alabama closed out the meet with a 48.4 on the uneven bars led by a 9.9 from Price in the anchor spot. Hoffman and White scored 9.825 and 9.8 respectively while Dennis got the Tide started with a 9.775. Martin and Lebegern had falls in the second and third position.
Alabama returns home to face long-standing rival Penn State Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets go to RollTide.com or the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262), located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum.
Players Mentioned
