A week ago, the University of Kentucky gymnastics team scored a school-record 196.100, the first score over 196.000 in school history. This week, many of the GymKats (7-4, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) were fighting the flu and other illnesses and could have buckled under the pressure. However, on this group of athletes did what UK’s coaches knew they could do, they nearly matched the school record, defeating SEC-rival Auburn (6-8, O-3 SEC), 196.000-194.025, on Friday, Feb. 22.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Coach Leah Little said. “Whenever you post scores like we did last week, some people may question whether it was a fluke. But now that we’ve done it again, it legitimizes us a top team. The rest we gave the team this week (two days off) did us good, and now they know they can do it. And it was especially nice to do it in an SEC win.”

Leading the way again were sophomores Aronda Primault and Julie Joy. Last week the pair battled for the all-around crown, with Primault taking the title by just 0.025 points. Again tonight, Primault edged out Joy’s 39.250 to again finish first place with a 39.275.

“Aronda and Julie just keep clicking on all cylinders,” Little said. “They keep pushing each other and that helps them so much. It is a friendly rivalry. They both just want to win so badly, and that really helps the team, as was seen tonight.”

As opposed to last week’s 10 individual career highs, the GymKats only hit six personal bests tonight. Freshman Michelle Gales collected two top marks with a 9.925 on the floor exercise to win individual honors and a 9.800 on vault. Senior co-captain Jessie Lemp won the bars with a personal-best 9.925, while Primault’s 9.825 on bars also was a career high. Junior Melanie Zaharias topped her best on floor with a 9.800, and Joy’s 9.775 on beam was her best ever.

UK got off to a good start with a 48.950 on vault. Primault won the individual title with a 9.875 to pace the GymKats, along with Gales. Junior Julia Gore added 9.775, while Joy and freshman Kara Prestigiacomo each contributed a 9.750 to give Kentucky a 0.725-point lead after one rotation.

The bars were next for Kentucky where the GymKats tallied some high scores last week. Tonight was no different as Lemp led UK, which had four of the top five finishers. Joy claimed second with a 9.900, for her second-straight 9.900 or better bar performance. Gore and Primault tied for third with a 9.825 each to extend the team lead to 1.05 points over the Tigers.

The beam has not been the strongest event for the GymKats this season, but they counted no falls for the third straight week to maintain a comfortable lead. Junior Mindy Smith came through with a 9.750 to go along with Joy’s top score, while Lemp added a 9.725 and Zaharias and Primault each scored a 9.700.

In the final rotation, UK moved to the floor exercise where the GymKats have been known to put up big scores. On this night, they counted only one score below 9.800, with Gales topping all gymnasts with her fifth 9.900 or better this season. Primault scored a 9.875, while Joy tallied a 9.825 to go along with Zaharias’ 9.800. With a 9.775, Gore, the final gymnast on the apparatus, pushed Kentucky to the 196 mark.

Fox Sports South will broadcast tonight’s meet on March 9, at 5 p.m. The GymKats look to improve even more next week when they travel to Baton Rouge, La., to take on the eighth-ranked LSU Tigers.

Team Scores:

1. Kentucky196.000
2. Auburn194.025

Attendance: 1, 037

Individual Apparatus Results
Vault: UK – 48.950, AU – 48.850

1. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.875, 2. Lisa Clark (AU) 9.850, 2. Hannah Littrell (AU) 9.850, 4. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.800$, 5. Julia Gore (UK) 9.775, 6. Kristi Boyte (AU) 9.750, 6. Julie Joy (UK) 9.750, 6. Kara Prestigiacomo (UK) 9.750, 9. Sally Cantrell (AU) 9.700, 9. Kayce Stein (AU) 9.700, 9. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.700, 12. Mary Nell Pate (AU) 9.600.

Uneven Bars: UK – 49.175, AU – 48.225

1. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.925$, 2. Julie Joy (UK) 9.900, 3. Cheryl Lancaster (AU) 9.825, 3. Julia Gore (UK) 9.825, 3. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.825$, 6. Mary Nell Pate (AU) 9.800, 7. Lisa Clark (AU) 9.750, 7. Hannah Littrell (AU) 9.750, 9. Lindsay Cameron (UK) 9.700, 10. Nicole Allen (UK) 9.675, 11. Sally Cantrell (AU) 9.100, 12. Kristi Oppelt (AU) 8.900.

Balance Beam: UK – 48.650, AU – 48.050

1. Cheryl Lancaster (AU) 9.875, 2. Sally Cantrell (AU) 9.850, 3. Julie Joy (UK) 9.775$, 4. Mindy Smith (UK) 9.750, 5. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.725, 6. Lisa Clark (AU) 9.700, 6. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.700, 6. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.700, 9. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.625, 10. Mary Nell Pate (AU) 9.500, 11. Kayce Stein (AU) 9.125, 12. Kristi Boyte (AU) 8.500.

Floor Exercise: UK – 49.225, AU – 48.900

1. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.950$, 2. Mary Nell Pate (AU) 9.875, 2. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.875, 4. Julie Joy (UK) 9.825, 5. Terri Brannan (AU) 9.800, 5. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.800$, 7. Sally Cantrell (AU) 9.775, 7. Julia Gore (UK) 9.775, 9. Lisa Clark (AU) 9.750, 9. Nicole Allen (UK) 9.750, 11. Hannah Littrell (AU) 9.700, 12. Kristi Boyte (AU) 9.650.

All-Around

1. Aronda Primault (UK) 39.375, 2. Julie Joy (UK) 39.250, 3. Lisa Clark (AU) 39.050, 4. Mary Nell Pate (AU) 38.775, 5. Sally Cantrell (AU) 38.425.

$ = career high