TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Oklahoma women's gymnastics team finished the regular season the way it began: with a win.
The Sooners knocked off No. 5 Alabama, rolling to a 197.725-197.500 win in front of a boisterous crowd of 10,722 fans in Coleman Coliseum. Oklahoma handed UA its second loss in Tuscaloosa of the season.
With the victory, OU finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 mark, including a 4-0 record against opponents ranked in the top six nationally.
"What great courage this team had," head coach K.J. Kindler said. "They came back from watching a teammate and senior leader get injured in warm-ups to win this meet. So many people stepped up across the board -- it was a true team effort from top to bottom.
"It's very difficult to go into Alabama and perform the way they did [Friday night]. We could not be prouder."
McKenzie Wofford won the uneven bars title outright with a 9.9 effort, and Haley Scaman tied for top honors on vault with a 9.95.
Alabama's Lauren Beers tied for event titles on vault, beam and floor with 9.95s on each. She also captured the all-around title with a 39.650.
Oklahoma opened the evening with a 49.375 on bars, paced by a meet-best 9.9 for Wofford in the No. 4 position. Senior Rebecca Clark started the rotation on a strong note with a 9.875 that included a stuck double back dismount. Ali Jackson stepped in at the No. 3 position and performed beautifully with a 9.875, and Haley Scaman added a 9.875 at the No. 5 spot.
Keeley Kmieciak and Brenna Dowell also aided the Sooners with efforts of 9.85.
Alabama jumped out to an early lead after earning a 49.450 on vault. Senior Lauren Beers led the Crimson Tide with a 9.95 performance. With one event down, UA led the Sooners 49.450-49.375.
The Sooners snagged back some momentum on vault in the second rotation with a 49.450 that included Scaman's meet-high 9.95 in the anchor position. Jackson hit a 9.9 in the No. 5 spot on a huge vault. Chayse Capps and Dowell were also crucial in the rotation as each picked up 9.875 efforts. Kmieciak added a key 9.85 in the No. 2 spot.
Oklahoma snagged back a lead they would not surrender for the remainder of the night after two events, scooting past Alabama by a margin of 98.825-98.550. The Crimson Tide earned a 49.100 on bars in the second rotation behind 9.875s from Keely McNeer and Kaitlyn Clark.
OU added a 49.425 in the third rotation with the freshman class coming in huge in the clutch on floor exercise. After Erica Brewer was held out due to injury, Natalie Brown nailed a 9.925 to tie for the team lead in the anchor position. She tied with classmate Dowell's 9.925 in the No. 3 spot, and Jackson added a huge 9.9 in the No. 4 position.
Capps was steady in the lead-off spot, hitting a 9.85 to start OU on a strong note, and Kara Lovan added a 9.825.
The Crimson Tide hit a big 49.525 beam rotation to put pressure on the Sooners in the third rotation. Kayla Williams and Beers paced UA with 9.95 efforts. After three events, Oklahoma led Alabama, 148.250-148.075.
The Sooners sealed the deal on beam, rising up to the pressure-packed occasion with a beautiful 49.475 rotation to close the night. Clark hit her career-best for the second week in a row, earning a 9.925 to lead all Sooners on the event. An additional three team members nailed 9.9 routines, with Haley Sorensen, Lovan and Capps boosting the Oklahoma lineup.
Brown's anchor routine and Kmieciak's lead off efforts each picked up 9.85 scores.
Alabama earned a 49.425 on floor, including Beers' 9.95, but it wouldn't be enough to catch the Sooners.
