Results | Results (PDF format)
DENVER – The University of Kentucky gymnastics team scored its second-best team total of the season but wasnarrowly defeated by the University of Denver, 194.475-195.100, on Friday, Feb. 16 at Hamilton Gymnasium.UK fell to 2-5, while the Pioneers improved to 7-3.
“We are pleased that this was our highest road score of the season,” Coach Leah Little said. “We didntcount any falls for the second week in a row, so that is a positive. It was also a good accomplishment for Aronda(Primault) to be our top all-arounder again, and she is staying consistent.”
The GymKats began the night on the bars where they scored a 48.475, the second-best bar total of the season.Freshman Julie Joy led the way by tying a career-best 9.775. Coming in just behind were juniors Jessie Lempand Jennifer Simmons and freshman Aronda Primault, each scoring a 9.725. UK was slightly behind at this pointby only 0.400 points.
In the second rotation, UK moved to its best event, the vault, and responded by tying its second-best scoreof the season with a 48.725. Sophomore Melanie Zaharias, returning to her home state, scored a season-best9.800 to tie for third on the apparatus. Simmons and Joy each added a 9.750, while Primault contributed a9.725 to the GymKats cause. In just her second vault of the season, Lemp tallied a 9.700 to round out thescoring. The Pioneers counted some strong bar routines to increase their overall lead, 97.975-97.200.
Next up for UK was the floor exercise, which has given the GymKats some trouble in the past. However,with the help of Primaults career-best 9.900, the GymKats finished with a 48.725. Along with Joys 9.825 andthe Pioneers counting a fall on beam, UK cut Denvers lead to only 0.325.
The final rotation took UK to the beam where sophomore Mindy Smith continued her mastery of theapparatus. She tallied a 9.825 to tie for individual honors. Lemp added a 9.775, while Zaharias scored a 9.700, aseason-high, in only her second beam competition of the season. However, the Pioneers had two scores over9.900 on floor to pull out the victory.
In just her second all-around competition, Primault totaled a 38.700 for third place, behind DenversAshley Shible, who scored a stellar 39.575 for first.
The GymKats return to action when they travel to No. 2 Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7 pm.
UK Scores Vault 48.725 Uneven Bars 48.425Jessie Lemp 9.700 Nicole Allen 9.475Katie Toups 9.650 Jessie Lemp 9.725Jennifer Simmons 9.750 Aronda Primault 9.725@Julie Joy 9.750 Julie Joy 9.775t@Aronda Primault 9.725 Katie Toups 8.950Melanie Zaharias 9.800 Jennifer Simmons 9.725Balance Beam 48.550 Floor Exercise 48.725Karla Adelt 9.675 Nicole Allen 9.675Jessie Lemp 9.775 Katie Toups 9.650Nicole Allen 9.575 Beth Coleman 9.625Aronda Primault 9.350 Julie Joy 9.825@Mindy Smith 9.825 Jennifer Simmons 9.675Melanie Zaharias 9.700 Aronda Primault 9.900@All AroundAronda Primault 38.700
