The 18th-ranked University of Kentucky gymnastics team finished out its 2002 home campaign with a 197.425-195.100 defeat at the hands of second-ranked University of Alabama on Friday, March 8 in Memorial Coliseum. Seniors Nicole Allen, Jessie Lemp, Jennifer Simmons and Katie Toups were honored in pre-meet ceremonies as they greeted the home crowd for the last time in their careers.
Despite the loss, UK’s team total is the third highest of the season and will replace a lower score in the regional qualifying score calculation.
“I am pleased with our performance tonight because we can drop a low score from our regional qualifying score,” Coach Leah Little said. “We made some mistakes, but they are correctable. We have to clean up our routines some, so we just have to keep working toward the postseason. I can’t say enough about the seniors. They have been here for four years and I can’t fully explain what they have meant to this program.”
The GymKats (7-6, 1-4 SEC) opened the night on the vault where they got a steady start with a 48.925 team total. Melanie Zaharias led the way with a 9.850, while Julia Gore and Aronda Primault each scored a 9.800. With a 9.750 from Julie Joy and a 9.725 from Michelle Gales, UK was down by less than half a point to the Crimson Tide (10-3, 4-1), 49.375-48.925.
Kentucky came alive on the uneven bars in the second rotation, scoring a 49.125 the third-highest bars total this season. Gore and Joy each tallied a 9.900 to share individual honors. Lemp added a 9.800, while Primault’s 9.775 and Lindsay Cameron’s 9.750 rounded out the scoring. With two rotations under their belts, the GymKats were still down by less than a point.
On beam, UK made a couple of mistakes to score a 48.450. Joy led the way with a 9.750, while Lemp and Primault each tallied a 9.725. Bama showed why it is ranked second in the country by scoring a 49.475 on floor to take the commanding 1.8-point lead.
In the final rotation, the GymKats moved to one of their strongest events, the floor exercise, but were forced to count a fall, scoring 48.600. Primault and Zaharias each scored a 9.850, a career-high for Zaharias, while Joy scored a 9.800. With a 9.750 from Gore, UK totaled a 48.600 to set the final mark.
The all-around was another close battle between Primault and Joy. This time around, however, Joy got the best of Primault, who had won the last three titles, by a 39.200-39.150 margin. Tonight, they finished second and third as Jeana Rice of Alabama claimed the all-around title.
The GymKats have one final regular-season meet remaining as they travel to Denton, Texas, on Friday, March 15 to take on Division III power Texas Woman’s University.
Team Scores
1. Alabama197.4252. Kentucky195.100
Attendance: 1,063
Individual Apparatus Results
Vault: UA – 49.450, UK – 48.925
1. Andree Pickens (UA) 9.950, 1. Jeana Rice (UA) 9.950, 3. Alexis Brion (UA) 9.875, 4. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.850, 4. Shannon Hrozek (UA) 9.850, 6. Erin Holdefer (UA) 9.825, 7. Julia Gore (UK) 9.800, 7. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.800, 7. Stephanie Kite (UA) 9.800, 10. Julie Joy (UK) 9.750, 11. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.725, 12. Kara Prestigiacomo (UK) 9.675.
Uneven Bars: UA – 49.375, UK – 49.125
1. Julia Gore (UK) 9.900, 1. Julie Joy (UK) 9.900, 1. Natalie Barrington (UA) 9.900, 1. Andree Pickens (UA) 9.900, 1. Raegan Tomasek (UA) 9.900, 6. Jeana Rice (UA) 9.850, 7. Kristin Sterner (UA) 9.825, 8. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.800, 9. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.775, 10. Lindsay Cameron (UK) 9.750, 10. Shannon Hrozek (UA) 9.750, 12. Nicole Allen (UK) 9.700.
Balance Beam: UA – 49.125, UK – 48.450
1. Andree Pickens (UA) 9.875, 2. Shannon Hrozek (UA) 9.850, 2. Jeana Rice (UA) 9.850, 4. Natalie Barrington (UA) 9.800, 5. Julie Joy (UK) 9.750, 5. Alexa Martinez (UA) 9.750, 5. Raegan Tomasek (UA) 9.750, 8. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.725, 8. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.725, 10. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.675, 11. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.575, 12. Mindy Smith (UK) 8.875.
Floor Exercise: UA – 49.475, UK – 48.600
1. Alexis Brion (UA) 9.950, 2. Michelle Reeser (UA) 9.900, 2. Raegan Tomasek (UA) 9.900, 4. Alexa Martinez (UA) 9.875, 5. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.850, 5. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.850$, 5. Stephanie Kite (UA) 9.850, 8. Julie Joy (UK) 9.800, 8. Jeana Rice (UA) 9.800, 10. Julia Gore (UK) 9.750, 11. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.350, 12. Nicole Allen (UK) 9.125.
All-Around
1. Jeana Rice (UA) 39.450, 2. Julie Joy (UK) 39.200, 3. Aronda Primault (UK) 39.150.
$ = career high
