LEXINGTON ? The 24th-ranked Kentucky gymnastics team scored a season high, but it wasn?t enough to overcome No. 12 LSU on Friday night, falling 195.575-194.325 at Memorial Coliseum.
Freshman Emilie Rymer set a career high in the all-around with a 39.050 and Krystle Cook posted a 39.100 in her first all-around of the season to lead the Wildcats. Rymer was one of three UK gymnasts to score a 9.85 on the floor as the team posted a season-best 49.100 in the event. The score is tied for the eighth best in the Mo Mitchell era.
After falling behind in the first two rotations, Kentucky rallied by outscoring the Tigers on both beam and floor, but couldn?t make up the difference. Heather Hite led the way on beam with a title-winning 9.875 as the Wildcats tallied a 48.500. It was her second crown of the year and first on beam. Last year, she took home four beam titles. Meanwhile, LSU suffered three falls on the beam, being forced to count two en route to a 48.200 on the event.
On floor, LSU?s Lauren Klein and Kelly Phelan finished 1-2 with a 9.9 and 9.875, respectively, but the team managed only a 49.025. On the other side, the trio of Rymer, Emily Green and Hillary Ferguson registered the 9.85s to go along with a 9.825 for Cook as the Wildcats outscored their opponents on the floor as well.
In the first half of the meet, LSU?s vaunted vault line up gave the Tigers an early lead while UK faltered on bars. LSU posted a 49.325, just off a season best in the second rotation while Kentucky?s bar routines produced only a 48.175, the lowest score of the season.
Despite the low team score, senior Lucy Burgin took home her second bars title of the year with a 9.875 on the apparatus.
Phelan won the all-around with a 39.325 and also claimed the vault title with a 9.9. Nicki Butler came in second with a 39.250.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday when it faces No. 1 Florida in Gainesville, Fla.