COLUMBIA, Mo. ? The Kentucky gymnastics team once again recorded some stellar individual performances, mainly by junior Michelle Gales and freshman Krystle Cook, but UK finished fourth at the 2004 State Farm Classic behind first-place No. 12-ranked Missouri (197.350), second-place No. 28-ranked Brigham Young (196.125) and third-place No. 21-ranked Penn State (195.575).

Gales posted a season-high 39.200 all-around score behind a career-high bars performance (9.875) and a season-high floor exercise (9.925). Gales, who entered the season with a personal best of 9.800 on bars, has shown vast improvement and she has scored a 9.825 or better on the apparatus four times in just six meets. She tied with Cook for first second on vault and finished third in the all-around.

Cook, a freshman from Austin, Texas, scored a career-high 38.900 all-around that was highlighted by personal bests on vault (9.925), bars (9.875) and floor exercise (9.800). Cook?s vault was her first 9.9 or better performance on any apparatus in her short six meet career at Kentucky and tied with two other competitors for first place individually. Coach ?Mo? Muhammad believes Cook is just beginning to show her awesome potential and ability as an elite collegiate gymnast.

?Krystle is an incredible athlete,? Muhammad said. ?She possesses the talent and ability to be one of the top athletes in the conference, which is saying a lot considering all the great athletes that compete in SEC gymnastics.?

Vault was Kentucky?s best event as a team. The Wildcats recorded a 49.025 with Cook and fellow freshman Alison Sarucci (9.825) leading the way. Sarucci also posted a couple of career-highs in the meet, on the vault and floor exercise (9.775). Also, junior Kara Prestigiacomo gave the Wildcats a lift on beam with her 9.725 performance.

?Kara did a fantastic job on beam after not competing for a year and a half on the apparatus,? Muhammad said. ?I am very proud of her and the lift she gave our team tonight. Overall, we just haven?t put a meet together yet,? Muhammad said. ?We have to get mentally tougher as a team and be determined to stick our routines each time we step on the mats. We have the ability, but we have to get more desire.?

Tomorrow, the top-10 competitors in each event from tonight?s meet will compete in individual finals at 7 p.m. CT in the Hearnes Center on Missouri?s campus. Gales is set to compete for the Wildcats on bars and floor, while Cook will contend for the bars and vault titles.

 Kentucky Scores Vault ? 49.025 Kara Prestigiacomo - 9.775 Alison Sarucci ? 9.825 Michelle Gales ? 9.800 Krystle Cook ? 9.925 Aronda Primault ? 9.250 Linday Cameron ? 9.700 Bars ? 48.275 Staci O?Keefe ? 9.750 Alison Sarucci ? 8.975 Aronda Primault ? 9.725 Krystle Cook ? 9.875 Michelle Gales ? 9.875 Julie Joy ? 9.050 Beam ? 48.100 Bethany Strauch ? 9.150 Krystle Cook ? 9.300 Julie Joy ? 9.625 Kara Prestigiacomo ? 9.725 Michelle Gales ? 9.600 Aronda Primault ? 9.850 Floor ? 48.725 Alison Sarucci ? 9.775 Krista Roemerman ? 9.650 Julie Joy ? 9.175 Krystle Cook ? 9.800 Michelle Gales ? 9.925 Aronda Primault ? 9.575 All-Around Cook ? 38.900 Gales ? 39.200 Primault ? 38.400