Score Second-Highest Team Total in School History
On a night when two seniors were bid farewell to the home crowd, the University of Kentuckygymnastics team turned in its second-best performance of the season to win a quad meet atMemorial Coliseum on Friday, March 9. The GymKats tallied a 195.825, also the second-bestscore in school history, by winning each individual title to defeat Central Michigan (195.275),Bowling Green (194.450) and Pittsburgh (190.550).
The meet was a battle from the start between UK (6-8, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) andCMU (7-10, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) as the GymKats began the night on vault. FreshmanAronda Primault scored a career-high 9.900 to win the event, while senior Beth Coleman scored aseason-high 9.875 to tie for second in her last home meet. Junior Jennifer Simmons notched a9.825 to place fourth, as freshman Julie Joy and sophomore Melanie Zaharias each contributed a9.775 to the team total. After the first rotation, the Chippewas held a slim advantage over UK,49.150-49.200.
The GymKats moved to the uneven bars next where they scored the sixth-highest bar total inschool history with a 49.000 to edge ahead of the Chippawas. Julie Joy scored a career-high 9.875to claim the individual title, while junior Jessie Lemp and Primault tied for second with a 9.825, aseason best for Lemp and a career best for Primault. Juniors Katie Toups and Nicole Allen added a9.750 and a 9.725, respectively.
UK then increased its lead with a 48.525 effort on the beam despite counting a fall, as CMUalso counted a fall on vault. Sophomore Mindy Smith continued her dominance of the apparatus,finishing first with her fourth 9.875 of the season. She has now completed 19 consecutive meetswithout counting a fall. Lemp and Zaharias each scored a 9.800, while Primault notched a 9.700.
The GymKats newfound success on the floor in recent weeks continued as they closed outthe competition with a 49.150, the fourth-highest floor score in school history. Leading the way wasa trio of career-high 9.900s by Joy, Primault and Smith. Allen added to the UK cause with a 9.750,while Simmons scored a 9.700 to help the team pull away from CMU for the victory.
In the all-around competition, Primault won her second title of the season with a career-bestperformance of 39.325. Joy finished fourth in just her second AA appearance of the season with acareer-high 38.850.
The GymKats also said goodbye on Friday to senior Susan Buffington, who has served asteam manager since suffering a career-ending knee injury her freshman season.
UK closes out the regular season when it travels to Tempe, Ariz., for a quad meet at ArizonaState on Friday, March 16, at 9:30 p.m. EST. Also competing will be Nebraska and Iowa.
UK Scores
Vault 49.150 Uneven Bars 49.000Katie Toups 9.725 Nicole Allen 9.725Melanie Zaharias 9.775 Jessie Lemp 9.825Julie Joy 9.775 Aronda Primault 9.825@Jennifer Simmons 9.825 Julie Joy 9.875@Aronda Primault 9.900@ Katie Toups 9.750Beth Coleman 9.875 Jennifer Simmons 8.950
Balance Beam 48.525 Floor Exercise 49.150Karla Adelt 9.350 Nicole Allen 9.750Jessie Lemp 9.800 Jennifer Simmons 9.700Julie Joy 9.300 Julie Joy 9.900@Aronda Primault 9.700 Mindy Smith 9.900@Mindy Smith 9.875 Aronda Primault 9.900@Melanie Zaharias 9.800 Beth Coleman 9.300
