January 16, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky gymnastics team fell to the No.16 Florida Gators 193.600 to 189.025 Friday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.

After the first rotation, the Florida led Kentucky 48.100 to 47.050. Jennifer Simmons led the Wildcats on uneven bars with a 9.550 in her first competition at Kentucky. In the second rotation, the GymKats scored 48.425 on vault. Krissy Hoeferlin led the Cats with a 9.850 on vault. This was Hoeferlin’s return to competitive gymnastics after dislocating her elbow last season.

The Gators continued to lead through the third rotation with a team total of 144.650 to 142.925. Junior Mila Chitwood led the Wildcats in floor exercise with a score of 9.750. The Wildcats finished the evening competing on the balance beam, where Krissy Hoeferlin led the GymKats with a strong 9.750 performance.

Four gymnasts saw their first action as Wildcats in this season opener. Sophomore transfer Natalie Hunt and freshmen Jessie Lemp, Jennifer Simmons and Katie Toups competed for Kentucky for the first time on Friday evening.

            FLORIDA                          KENTUCKY

UF VAULT SCORE UK UNEVEN BARS SCORETeal Chiabotti 9.650 Shawnte Hall 8.750Lisa Geckle 9.625 Lori Freeman 9.375Hilary Thompson 9.125 Jennifer Simmons 9.550 Chrissy Van Fleet 9.800 Krissy Hoeferlin 9.425 Susan Hines 9.900 Katie Toups 9.500 Jessie Lemp 9.200

UF VAULT SCORE UK VAULT SCORELiz Hodges 9.725 Lori Freeman 9.525Krissy Dreger 9.725 Katie Toups 9.650Maryann Esposito 9.775 Jessie Lemp 9.575Betsy Hamm 9.350 Shawnte Hall 9.725Gabby Fuchs 9.800 Jennifer Simmons 9.625Chrissy Van Fleet 9.550 Krissy Hoeferlin 9.850

UF BALANCE BEAM SCORE UK FLOOR EXERCISE SCORELisa Geckle 9.250 Shawnte Hall 9.525Maryann Esposito 9.775 Katie Toups 8.800Teal Chiabotti 9.025 Jennifer Simmons 9.625Susan Hines 9.850 Jessie Lemp 9.500 Hilary Thompson 9.725 Mila Chitwood 9.725Chrissy Van Fleet 9.375 Krissy Hoeferlin 9.125

UF FLOOR EXERCISE SCORE UK BALANCE BEAM SCOREMaryann Esposito 9.700 Katie Toups 7.800Hilary Thompson 9.825 Krissy Hoeferlin 9.725Lisa Geckle 9.875 Jessie Lemp 9.425Teal Chiabotti 9.725 Jennifer Simmons 9.350Susan Hines 9.275 Mila Chitwood 8.750Chrissy Van Fleet 9.825 Natalie Hunt 8.850