Gym Dogs sweep event titles in match against Denver

ATHENS, GA. -- Georgia completed its regular season home schedule on Saturday in Stegeman Coliseum with a 197.025-195.825 victory against Denver.

The Gym Dogs swept the event titles with Bandie Jay's 9.975 on vault, Lindsey Cheek's 9.975 on bars, Kaylan Earls' 9.875 on beam and Earls and Brittany Rogers' 9.9 on floor topping the scoring tables.

Georgia started the meet in stunning fashion, recording the highest vault score of any Gym Dogs team since the 2009 Super Six. The last time Georgia scored higher was the 2006 Super Six. Four gymnasts tied career high scores, including three new season highs. Cat Hires got the best possible start to her senior day with a score of 9.925 which tied her career-high. Brandie Jay (9.975) and Chelsea Davis (9.9) also tied their career high scores. Hires, Jay and Rogers all set new season highs while Davis tied her highest score in 2014. 

Denver recorded a 48.925 on uneven bars to give the Gym Dogs a 49.625-48.925 lead after the first rotation.

The home team carried their early momentum into the second rotation as Georgia recorded a 49.6 on bars. This effort was highlighted by senior Lindsey Cheek who tied her career and season highs on bars with a 9.975, which tied her career high score. Hires continued her brilliant final regular season appearance in Stegeman Coliseum with a 9.95, which was a new career high on bars while Rogers and Davis both recorded 9.9's.

At the half way point Georgia had extended its lead against the Pioneers to 99.225-97.925.

In the third rotation, the Gym Dogs registered a 49.075. Kaylan Earls was the top performer for the home team as she recorded a 9.875. Morgan Reynolds 9.8 tied her career high score. After the third rotation the Gym Dogs lead stood at 148.300-147.000 as the visitors posted a 49.075 on the floor exercise.

Georgia clinched the meet as it notched a 48.725 on floor. Earls put an exclamation point on her senior night as she and Rogers led the Gym Dogs effort in the final rotation with a pair of 9.9's. This score was a new season high for Rogers on the event while it tied a season high for Earls. The score also tied the respective career highs for the two gymnasts and set a new season high for Rogers. Hires continued her fine afternoon tying her career high with a 9.85 score.

No. 14 Arkansas 196.700, No. 9 Nebraska 196.350

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska earned several strong individual performances but was unable to overpower Arkansas, falling by a score of 196.700-196.350 on Saturday night. Nebraska captured two event titles including a tie in the all-around at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, but to the Huskers, the meet was not about scores or numbers, it was about its two seniors, Jamie Schleppenbach and Emily Wong.

“It was senior night,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “It is sad to think that Jamie and Emily will not compete again in Devaney and it is sad they had to go out like this. But, we can dwell on the negatives or we can really focus on the positives here, which we will. Obviously we have some work to do and we will hit the gym and get to it.”

All-American Emily Wong once again paced the Huskers claiming an event title on bars en-route to tie for her eighth all-around crown with Arkansas’ Katherine Grable. On bars, Wong stuck a 9.95 score that matches her all-time high mark. She added a second-place finish on both beam (9.90) and floor (9.90) as well as a fifth-place finish on vault (9.875) to give her a 39.625 all-around score.