TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Terin Humphrey scored a 39.425 in the all-around to lead fourth-ranked Alabama to a 196.375-193.625 win over No. 24 Kentucky on Friday night in front of 10,540 at Coleman Coliseum.
The Wildcats were on pace to post a season high score, but faltered on beam, falling twice while having another gymnast wobble en route to a season-low 47.500. Meanwhile, Alabama proved why its one of the nation’s best in the final rotation, hanging a 49.400 on the floor for its final tally. The Crimson Tide had three scores of 9.9 or better on floor.
Paced by sophomore Heather Hite’s career-high-tying 9.875 on the floor, UK cut into an early Crimson Tide’s lead in the third rotation. Freshman Hillary Ferguson and Rymer were also solid, scoring 9.825 and 9.8, respective, as the Wildcats posted a season best 48.875 on the apparatus.
During the rotation, Alabama suffered a pair of falls en route to a 48.600, its weakest team showing of the season. Despite the low team score, Price and Humphrey posted 9.875 each to share the title.
Led by Krystle Cook’s title winning 9.9 on bars, UK registered a 48.500 in the first rotation. The title was Cook’s third of the year, including first on bars. She won eight bars crowns last year. Meanwhile, Alabama tallied a season-best 49.200 on vault in the first rotation. Freshmen Morgan Dennis and Kassi Price led the way with matching 9.875s, good enough to split first place for the meet.
Kentucky performed better in the second rotation with a 48.750, but continued to lose ground to the powerful Crimson Tide, which posted a 49.175 on the bars. Freshman Emilie Rymer and senior Lucy Burgin, competing just 51 miles from her hometown of Birmingham, Ala., paced the Wildcats with a pair of 9.825s. However, Alabama had five gymnasts register scores of 9.8 or better, and Price shared the event title with Cook with a 9.9.
The Wildcats youth movement got even younger on Friday as a season-high 14 of 24 line up spots were taken by freshmen. Ferguson, Rymer and Emily Green all competed in the all-around. Rymer took third overall in the all-around with a career best 38.626.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday at 7 p.m. when it hosts 13th-ranked LSU at Memorial Coliseum.
