MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. ? The University of Kentucky gymnastics squad defeated host Central Michigan and Rhode Island Sunday afternoon to earn its second tri-meet victory in three days and improve to 11-5 on the season. The No. 18 Wildcats got a balanced attack and posted a 194.825 team score on the strength of six different UK gymnasts notching 9.850s or better.
?We did what we needed to do,? head coach Mo Muhammad said following the win. ?It was really nice to see Jordan (Cullum) and Crissy (Cannon) step up for us after having two tough meets so close together. I feel like we are in a great position heading into this weekend?s meet at Oregon State.?
The Cats posted their highest team score of the day on bars (49.150) en route to placing the top three gymnasts. Junior Krystle Cook and freshman Natalie Rubinstein tied for first with a pair of 9.9s, while sophomore Alison Sarucci notched a season-best 9.850 to finish third.
Senior Lucy Burgin and junior Rachel Riley both tied for first on vault with 9.850s. For Burgin, the score tied a career-best, while Riley?s mark earned the Dallas, Texas native a new career-high. Freshman Jordan Cullum, competing in only her second collegiate meet, earned an impressive 9.825 to take fourth place.
Sophomore Crissy Cannon was the lone Cat to place in the top three on beam, earning a career-high 9.825 and a second place finish.
Sophomore Kristen O?Shields won floor for the second consecutive meet with a career-high 9.850. Freshman Heather Hite tied for third with a 9.825.
Cook won the all-around competition for the fourth time this season with a score of 38.525.
Central Michigan finished the competition in second with a 194.725, while Rhode Island placed third, scoring 189.800.
After dropping five straight meets ? all against nationally-ranked teams ? Kentucky has won four straight. The meet marked the third tri-meet/quad-meet of the season for UK, of which they are a combined 7-0.
Next weekend, Kentucky heads to the West Coast and the campus of Oregon State for a quad meet against the No. 17 Beavers, Washington, Boise State and Seattle Pacific. The meet is slated for 7 p.m. PT, 10 p.m. ET.
