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LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky Wildcats gymnastics team won its first match of the Hajile ?Mo? Muhammad era with a 194.450 ? 192.625 win over No. 24 Brigham Young at the 21st annual Excite Nite extravaganza, Friday evening. The Wildcats were paced by co-captains Aronda Primault and Michelle Gales who finished first and second in the all-around, respectively.
Former Kentucky gymnastics head coach Leah Little was honored before the meet for her 28 years of service as coach of the program before retiring at the end of last season.
?It feels great to have our first win under our belt,? Muhammad said. ?We still made some mistakes on beam, but we have a young team and most of our mistakes came from our young kids. They are going to learn and get better.?
The Wildcats started the meet strong in the first rotation with Primault and freshman Krystle Cook leading them on vault. Primault tied with Brigham Young?s Marie-Helene Claveau for the vault title with a 9.875 and Cook scored a 9.800 to help Kentucky secure a 49.000 ? 47.900 lead after the first rotation.
UK looked even stronger in the second rotation that featured Kentucky on bars and BYU on vault. Sophomore Staci O?Keefe, the current ?Kentucky Gymnast of the Week?, started the Cats off on the right foot by landing a career-high 9.850 to claim the overall bars title. Cook landed a personal best 9.825 for a second place tie with Primault and BYU?s Genevieve Claveau. Kentucky racked up a 49.100 on bars, the highest team total of any event the entire night. UK led 98.100 ? 96.725 after the first two rotations.
During a short intermission, the 5,813 fans in attendance were treated to a special performance from the Kings Firecracker Jump Ropers that electrified the crowd. Spectators were also treated to performances from the Wildcat Danzers, UK Cheerleaders (Blue Squad) and magician Mike Woodward over the course of the night.
Kentucky moved to beam in the third rotation as Brigham Young competed in the floor exercise. The Wildcats struggled on beam and the Cougars were able to capitalize on the UK falls with solid floor exercise performances. BYU scored a 48.775 on the floor exercise as Kentucky registered a 47.425 on beam.
Heading into the fourth and final rotation, the Wildcats held a slim 145.525 ? 145.500 lead over the Cougars. Kentucky rose to the challenge and four Cats scored 9.850 or better in the floor exercise as UK took the meet 194.450 ? 192.625. Gales and Primault tied for the floor exercise with a pair of 9.900 performances that drew the crowd to its feet on several occasions.
?We put those two last because their floor routines are some of the best in the nation and we know that they are going to bring it home for us,? Muhammad said. ?We wanted their floor routines to give the fans a reason to come back. We know that their floor routines are phenomenal.?
Primault claimed her second all-around title of the season and freshman Rachel Riley scored a career-high 38.675 all-around to finish third.
The Wildcats will travel to Arkansas to open SEC competition Jan. 16, at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. The meet will be televised by Fox Sports South, but will not air until Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. ET.
Team Scores 1. Kentucky ? 194.450 2. No. 24 Brigham Young ? 192.625
Attendance: 5,813
Individual Apparatus Results
Vault: UK ? 49.000; BYU ? 48.825
1. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.875; 1. Marie-Helene Claveau (BYU) 9.875; 3. Jaime Mabray (BYU) 9.825; 4. Krystle Cook (UK) 9.800; 4. Trisha Ashton (BYU) 9.800; 6. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.775; 6. Rachel Riley (UK) 9.775; 6. Alison Sarucci (UK) 9.775; 9. Megan Pessoa (BYU) 9.700; 10. Meghan Donahue (BYU) 9.625; 11. Lindsay Cameron (UK) 9.600; 12. Kirsten Pauga (BYU) 9.250.
Uneven Bars: UK ? 49.100; BYU ? 47.900
1. Staci O?Keefe (UK) 9.850; 2. Krystle Cook (UK) 9.825; 2. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.825; 2. Genevieve Claveau (BYU) 9.825; 5. Julie Joy (UK) 9.800; 5. Rachel Riley (UK) 9.800; 5. Jaime Mabray (BYU) 9.800; 8. Lisa Willis (BYU) 9.750; 9. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.275; 9. Brogan Jacobsen (BYU) 9.275; 11. Kari Lords (BYU) 9.250; 12. Kacie Capra (BYU) 9.075.
Balance Beam: UK ? 47.425; BYU ? 47.125
1. Kari Lords (BYU) 9.900; 2. Trisha Ashton (BYU) 9.825; 3. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.775; 4. Julie Joy (UK) 9.700; 5. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.375; 6. Kirsten Pauga (BYU) 9.350; 7. Krystle Cook (UK) 9.325; 8. Rachel Riley (UK) 9.250; 9. Kandis Kelly (BYU) 9.225; 10. Staci O?Keefe (UK) 9.175; 11. Marie-Helene Claveau (BYU) 8.825; 12. Jaime Mabray (BYU) 8.550.
Floor: UK ? 48.925; BYU ? 48.775
1. Michelle Gales (UK) 9.900; 1. Aronda Primault (UK) 9.900; 3. Julie Joy (UK) 9.850; 3. Rachel Riley (UK) 9.850; 3. Kari Lords (BYU) 9.850; 6. Marie-Helen Claveau (BYU) 9.775; 7. Lisa Willis (BYU) 9.750; 8. Kacie Capra (BYU) 9.700; 8. Jaime Mabray (BYU) 9.700; 10. Alison Sarucci (UK) 9.425; 11. Brogan Jacobsen (BYU) 9.250; 12. Krystle Cook (UK) 9.150.
All-Around:
1. Aronda Primault (UK) 38.975; 2. Michelle Gales (UK) 38.725; 3. Rachel Riley (UK) 38.675; 4. Krystle Cook (UK) 38.100; 5. Jaime Mabray (BYU) 37.875.
