Alabama
Kentucky
No. 9 Alabama Gymnastics Downs No. 12 Kentucky, 197.200-196.650
2/28/2020 10:14:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Crimson Tide closed the meet with a season-best 49.550 on the floor exercise to tally it’s fourth 197-plus team score of the year
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 9 Alabama gymnastics team took down No. 12 Kentucky by a score of 197.200-196.650 in front of a Coleman Coliseum crowd of 9,557 fans on a cold Tuscaloosa night.
The Crimson Tide closed out the night and the Wildcats with a season-best 49.550 on the floor exercise, its highest total on the event since March 16, 2018 against Oklahoma. Freshman Luisa Blanco and senior Shea Mahoney tied for top honors on the floor with matching career-best scores of 9.950. Sophomore Shallon Olsen and junior Lexi Graber added 9.9s while junior Alonza Klopfer led things off with a 9.850.
It was a big night for Blanco and Mahoney, who also posted career-best scores on the balance beam and vault, respectively. Blanco, who went on the floor for just the third time this season, also led the Tide on the balance beam with a 9.950, while Mahoney started the night on vault with a 9.900.
Alabama outscored Kentucky on the vault (49.300-49.200), balance beam (49.350-49.150) and floor exercise (49.550-49.100) to bring home the win.
Head Coach Dana Duckworth Said
"I can't say enough about how this team rebounded after bars. What a beautiful night for Luisa and Shea, but I also feel there was just so much team effort. It wasn't about one person, it was about everyone never giving up. At the end of floor I pulled them together and made them tell me what was great about tonight and they said 'Never gave up,' 'Total cohesiveness,' and 'Being one with one another.' Those are the things that are going to make this team a championship team. I am very proud of the way they bounced back and finished with that type of evening."
Going All-Around with the Crimson Tide
- Mahoney scored a career-best 9.900 on the vault to pace Alabama to a 49.300.
- A 9.85 from junior Kylie Dickson to start and matching 9.85s from Mahoney and freshman Makarri Doggette to close the uneven bars rotation helped the Tide overcome trouble in the middle of the lineup and led to a 49.000 team score.
- A career-best 9.95 from Blanco led the Tide to a 49.350 on the balance beam.
- Alabama closed the meet with a 49.550 on the floor exercise led by back-to-back 9.95s from Blanco and Mahoney in the middle of the lineup.
Inside the Score Sheet
- With a 49.300 on the vault, Alabama has now scored 49.300-or-better in each of its last four meets.
- After scoring a 49.350 on the balance beam against the Wildcats, the Tide has now posted four marks of 49.250-or-better on the beam this season.
- Blanco posted back to 9.950s on the beam and floor exercise, with both scores coming as career highs.
- After posting back-to-back 9.925s on the floor in her last two meets, Mahoney scored a 9.950 against Kentucky, tying her career-best mark.
- Graber has now scored 9.900-or-better in all seven of her floor exercise routines this season.
- Olsen tied her career-best floor exercise score for the third time this season with a 9.900.
Up Next
- Alabama closes its home slate against archrival Georgia with an exceedingly rare Saturday home meet on March 7 in Coleman Coliseum.
- The meet will be broadcast live on the SEC Network and will get underway at 7:15 p.m. CT.
For all the latest information on Alabama gymnastics, follow BamaGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and head coach Dana Duckworth on Twitter and Instagram at @UACoachDana.
Players Mentioned
