LEXINGTON ? The University of Kentucky gymnastics team stepped outside of SEC Conference action and picked up a convincing tri-meet victory over Ball State and Air Force in Memorial Coliseum Friday. The No. 18 Cats placed first with a team score of 194.300 and improved to 9-5 on the season.

Kentucky opened the meet on vault with a team score of 48.900. Sophomore Kristen O?Shields and senior Lucy Burgin both tied for first place with 9.825s. O?Shields score tied a career-best. Also notching a 9.825 was junior Krystle Cook. Freshman Heather Hite notched a career-high with a fourth place vault of 9.8.

On bars, Cook ran away with the competition, registering a 9.875. Freshman Natalie Rubinstein placed second with a career-high 9.750. As a team, the Cats scored a 48.800 and held a commanding lead after two events over Ball State and Air Force.

Hite placed first on beam for the fourth time this season with a 9.825. Sophomore Crissy Cannon and Cook followed in second with a pair of 9.725s.

O?Shields closed out the meet with another first place triumph, this time on floor (9.775). Rubinstein earned second place honors with a 9.750 and Hite and junior Rachel Riley both tied for third with 9.725s.

Riley took home first place in the all-around with a 38.325, followed by Ball State?s Kelly Watson (38.300) and Kaitlyn Wills (37.950). Cook did not compete in all four events for the first time this season due to a minor illness.

Kentucky turns right around and travels north to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for a dual meet against Central Michigan, Sunday, at 2 p.m. Next weekend, the Cats travel to Birmingham, Ala. for the SEC Championships, Sat., March 25. The meet will be rebroadcast on FOX Sports Net, March 30, at 7 p.m. ET.