March 15, 2002
DENTON, Texas – In the last regular-season meet of the season, the University of Kentucky gymnastics team shattered the school record with a 196.375 to defeat homestanding Texas Woman’s University in Kitty Magee Arena on Friday, March 15. UK needed every score because TWU’s 195.400 was a school record as well. Kentucky’s previous high was a 196.100 set against Ball State on Feb. 15.
“We came in with one goal in mind tonight – to replace a road mark in our regional qualifying score,” Coach Leah Little said. “We did that and more. We never imagined breaking a school record on the road. That’s just an incredible thing to do and a great way to go into the Southeastern Conference Championships. The team has more confidence in themselves and the team. We are really looking forward to the postseason.”
Kentucky (8-6) got off a great start scoring a 49.300 on the uneven bars to tie the second-highest bar total in school history. Returning to her home state, Julia Gore paced the GymKats with a career-high 9.925 to win individual honors, while Jessie Lemp added a 9.900. Rounding out the scoring was Aronda Primault with a career-high 9.875, Julie Joy with a 9.850 and Lindsay Cameron with a 9.750. After one rotation, UK had a comfortable 0.825-point lead.
The GymKats moved to the vault for the second rotation and repeated their bars performance with another 49.300, also the second-highest team bar total in school history. Melanie Zaharias led the way for UK this time around with a career-high 9.925 to win the title, while Gore finished second with another career high with a 9.900. Primault contributed another 9.875, Joy added a 9.850 and Kara Prestigiacomo finished out the scoring with 9.750. Despite two 9.900s and a 49.075 by TWU, Kentucky increased its lead to 98.600-97.550.
In the third rotation, UK moved to their strongest event, the floor exercise, where the GymKats totaled a 48.950. Michelle Gales scored a 9.875 to tie for first and lead Kentucky. Gore continued her excellent night with a 9.850, while Zaharias added a 9.825. Primault and Nicole Allen rounded out the team total with a 9.750 and 9.650. With an overall total of 147.550, UK led the Pioneers by 1.15 points.
With one rotation remaining the GymKats were well within reach of the school record. However, they were on the balance beam, an event that had not been kind to them this season. Behind a first-place 9.825 from Zaharias and Gales and a 9.800 from Mindy Smith, UK totaled a 48.825 to claim the historic victory. In addition, Primault scored a 9.775, while Lemp completed the evening for Kentucky with a 9.600 to give the GymKats the historic win.
In the all-around, Primault totaled a 39.275 to win the individual honors for the fifth time this season. Her score was also her seventh consecutive 39.000 or better of the season. Gore finished the night in third place with a 39.050 in just her second all-around performance of the season.
With the completion of the regular season, UK now heads to the Southeastern Conference Championships on Saturday, March 23. Action is scheduled to take place in Bartow Arena at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Team Scores
1. Kentucky196.375
2. Texas Woman’s195.400
Attendance: 188
Individual Apparatus Results:
Vault – UK 49.300, TWU 48.475
1. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.925, 2. Julia Gore (UK) 9.900, 3. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.875, 4. Julie Joy (UK) 9.850, 5. Jessica Brozovich (TWU) 9.775, 6. Kara Prestigiacomo (UK) 9.750, 6. Kim Holland (TWU) 9.750, 8. Luci Romberg (TWU) 9.725, 9. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.700, 10. Brandi Smith (TWU) 9.625, 11. Jonica Scott (TWU) 9.600, 12. Rachel Goddard (TWU) 9.525.
Uneven Bars – UK 49.300, TWU 49.075
1. Julia Gore (UK) 9.925, 2. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.900, 2. Erin McNabb (TWU) 9.900, 2. Michelle Hepner (UK) 9.900, 5. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.875$, 6. Julie Joy (UK) 9.850, 7. Luci Romberg (TWU) 9.825, 8. Stephanie Loudat (TWU) 9.775, 9. Lindsay Cameron (UK) 9.750, 10. Dana Giametta (TWU) 9.675, 11. Nicole Allen (UK) 8.900, 12. Kim Holland (TWU) 8.875.
Balance Beam – UK 48.825, TWU 48.700
1. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.825, 1. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.825, 1. Lindsey Clowers (TWU) 9.825, 1. Kristin Frogge (TWU) 9.825, 5. Mindy Smith (UK) 9.800, 5. Michelle Hepner (TWU) 9.800, 7. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.775, 8. Luci Romberg (TWU) 9.700, 8. Erin MacNabb (TWU) 9.700, 10. Jessie Lemp (UK) 9.600, 10. Stephanie Loudat (TWU) 9.600, 12. Julia Gore (UK) 9.375.
Floor Exercise – UK 48.950, TWU 49.000
1. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.875, 1. Luci Romberg (TWU) 9.875, 3. Julia Gore (UK) 9.850, 3. Michelle Hepner (TWU) 9.850, 5. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.825, 6. Kristin Frogge (TWU) 9.775, 6. Kim Holland (TWU) 9.775, 8. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.750, 9. Rachel Goddard (TWU) 9.725, 10. Lindsay Clowers (TWU) 9.700, 11. Nicole Allen (UK) 9.650, 12. Julie Joy (UK) 9.225.
All-Around
1. Aronda Primault (UK) 39.275, 2. Luci Romberg (TWU) 39.125, 3. Julia Gore (UK) 39.050.
