This was the first time in 84 all-time meetings between Florida and Kentucky that both are in the Top 10.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the meeting of the collegiate gymnastics teams ranked No. 5, it was Florida with the win Friday in front of a Memorial Coliseum crowd of 5,549. The Gators took the win, 196.325 – 195.95, over Kentucky.
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The Gators trailed by 0.15 after the opening rotation but owned more than a point lead at the midway point. That lead narrowed to a point after the third rotation. The final rotation was a bit uncomfortable as the Gators had a fall at the beginning and end of the beam lineup, but the Wildcats could not close the gap.
Good morning, #Gators! Here are the highlights and postmeet interviews from our WIN at Kentucky last night! #GoGators #WontBackDown pic.twitter.com/ymSqoeEqzv
— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) January 20, 2018
Florida's two Rachels claimed the first two event titles. Sophomore Rachel Gowey used a 9.825 to win her first collegiate uneven bars title. Then senior All-American Rachel Slocum used the Gators' season-high of 9.925 to claim a share of her first vault title of 2018.
Senior All-American Kennedy Baker led Florida on floor exercise to tie for second at 9.90. Gowey collected her second event win of the evening, sharing the beam title at 9.90.
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Kentucky sophomore Mollie Korth took the all-around at 39.50 and shared the vault win with Slocum (9.925). UK's Sidney Dukes won floor at 9.95 and shared the beam with teammate Alex Hyland and Gowey at 9.90.
#Gators win!!
— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) January 20, 2018
event winners:
Vault: @RachelSlocum 9.925
Bars: @rachel_gowey 9.825
Beam: @rachel_gowey 9.90#WeChomp pic.twitter.com/9aEBZLH1Ad
GATOR NOTABLES:
- Of the 84 all-time meetings between these two programs, this was the first both teams brought a top-10 ranking.
- Florida's season-best vault total (49.375) resulted when five in the Gators' lineup turned in season-best marks. Slocum's 9.925 earned her the 11th vault title of her career.
- Gowey won two event titles in a single collegiate meet for the first time. She took her first collegiate bars win with a 9.825. She claimed the beam title in each of Florida's three meets this season and tonight's win was her fifth beam win as a Gator.
THE SERIES: Florida leads the series 83-1.
