March 14, 2003
The University of Kentucky gymnastics team took second place during a tri-meet at Memorial Coliseum on Friday, March 14, scoring 194.700 to defeat Southeast Missouri (192.950). The total was not quite enough to defeat No. 13 Denver (195.450). Senior Julia Gore and sophomore Michelle Gales both set personal-bests in the all-around with matching scores of 39.400 to tie for first place.
The GymKats opened the evening on vault, their strong event this season. Scores of 9.850 from Gales, senior Melanie Zaharias and junior All-American Aronda Primault led Kentucky to its sixth score over 49.0 of the year, a 49.075. The Cats jumped out to an early lead over Denver and Southeast.
In the second rotation, the uneven bars, Kentucky only would manage 48.250 points. Gales, Primault and junior Julie Joy would each put up 9.800’s, but the highlight of the rotation and the night was Gore’s career-high 9.950. That mark that has been exceeded by only one other gymnast in UK history, eight-time NCAA Champion Jenny Hansen. UK’s lead increased heading into the intermission.
Gore would contribute another on the balance beam, a 9.875. She was outdone, however, by teammates Gales and senior Mindy Smith, who each scored 9.900 to share first place in the event. The score was a career-high for the sophomore. Kentucky’s 48.750 was the team’s second-highest beam total of the season. The 13th-ranked Pioneers snagged the lead in the third rotation, with their floor exercise, ranked eighth in the nation, scoring 49.250 points.
In the final rotation, Kentucky was on floor. Gales led the Cats for the third time of the night, scoring 9.850. Gore’s 9.800 and a 9.775 from Zaharias helped UK score 48.625 points as a team. The tally was not enough to pull off the upset over Denver, but did help the GymKats defeat the Otahkians.
Kentucky’s total of 194.700 replaces a lower mark from earlier this season in the calculation of UK’s regional qualifying score. The GymKats have two meets remaining before the NCAA Regional Championships, and are still slightly off the pace for team qualification.
The GymKats will travel to Tempe, Ariz., next weekend to face the Sun Devils on Friday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. local time. The following weekend Kentucky will take part in the Southeastern Conference Championships in Birmingham, Ala.
Team Results
Denver – 195.450
Kentucky – 194.700
Southeast Missouri – 192.950
Attendance: 462
Event Results
Vault
UK – 49.075; DU – 49.125; SEMO – 48.200
1. Karyssa Ancelloti (DU) 9.875; 1. Ashley Shible (DU) 9.875; 3. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.850; 3. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.850; 3. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.850; 6. Emily Bankhead (DU) 9.800; 6. Cassidy Willingham (DU) 9.800; 8. Julia Gore (UK) 9.775; 8. Jessica Kennedy (DU) 9.775; 10. Kara Prestigiacomo (UK) 9.750; 10. Michelle Kasuga (DU) 9.750; 10. Ashley Godwin (SEMO) 9.750; 13. Tara Boldt (SEMO) 9.700; 14. Deanna Ogg (SEMO) 9.600; 15. Katie Bloom (SEMO) 9.575; 15. Amanda Grimes (SEMO) 9.575; 17. Lindsay Cameron (UK) 9.325; 18. Amy Cole (SEMO) 9.225.
Bars
UK – 48.250; DU – 49.025; SEMO – 48.550
1. Julia Gore (UK) 9.950; 2. Michelle Kasuga (DU) 9.875; 3. Ashley Shible (DU) 9.850; 4. Deanna Ogg (SEMO) 9.825; 5. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.800; 5. Julie Joy (UK) 9.800; 5. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.800; 8. Emily Bankhead (DU) 9.775; 8. Rose Kiernan (DU) 9.775; 8. Ashley Godwin (SEMO) 9.775; 11. Jacquelin Young (DU) 9.750; 12. Katie Bloom (SEMO) 9.700; 12. Amy Cole (SEMO) 9.700; 14. Jessica Kennedy (DU) 9.675; 15. Tara Boldt (SEMO) 9.550; 16. Michelle Albury (SEMO) 9.100; 17. Krista Prestigiacomo (UK) 8.900; 18. Krista Roemerman (UK) 8.850.
Beam
UK – 48.750; DU – 48.050; SEMO – 47.700
1. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.900; 1. Mindy Smith (UK) 9.900; 3. Julia Gore (UK) 9.875; 4. Michelle Kasuga (DU) 9.825; 5. Emily Bankhead (DU) 9.775; 6. Ashley Godwin (SEMO) 9.725; 7. Karla Adelt (UK) 9.675; 7. Tara Boldt (SEMO) 9.675; 9. Alexis Traylor (SEMO) 9.650; 10. Ashley Shible (DU) 9.625; 11. Jessica Kennedy (DU) 9.600; 12. Jacklyn Doebbler (SEMO) 9.425; 13. Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.400; 14. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.375; 15. Cassidy Willingham (DU) 9.225; 15. Deanna Ogg (SEMO) 9.225; 17. Jamie Martini (DU) 9.125; 18. Amy Cole (SEMO) 9.075.
Floor
UK – 48.625; DU – 49.250; SEMO – 48.500
1. Emily Bankhead (DU) 9.925; 2. Michelle Kasuga (DU) 9.900; 3. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.850; 3. Ashley Godwin (SEMO) 9.850; 5. Karyssa Ancelloti (DU) 9.825; 5. Ashley Shible (DU) 9.825; 7. Julia Gore (UK) 9.800; 8.Melanie Zaharias (UK) 9.775; 8. Jacquelin Young (DU) 9.775; 10. Jessica Kennedy (DU) 9.750; 11. Amanda Grimes (SEMO) 9.725; 12. Jacklyn Doebbler (SEMO) 9.700; 13. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.675; 14. Alexis Traylor (SEMO) 9.625; 15. Amy Cole (SEMO) 9.600; 16. Tara Boldt (SEMO) 9.550; 17. Krista Roemerman (UK) 9.525; 18. Krista Prestigiacomo (UK) 9.100.
All-Around
1. Michelle Gales (UK) 39.400; 1. Julia Gore (UK) 39.400; 3. Michelle Kasuga (DU) 39.350; 4. Emily Bankhead (DU) 39.275; 5. Ashley Shible (DU) 39.175; 6. Ashley Godwin (SEMO) 39.100; 7. Jessica Kennedy (DU) 38.800; 8. Aronda Primault (UK) 38.700; 9. Tara Boldt (SEMO) 38.475; 10. Amy Cole (SEMO) 37.600.
— UK —
