LEXINGTON ? In the final home meet of her decorated career, Kentucky senior Krystle Cook won the all-around competition, but it wasn?t enough to lead UK to victory as the Wildcats fell to No. 14 Arkansas, 195.850-193.650 on Friday night at Memorial Coliseum.
One of four seniors whose careers were honored prior to the meet, Cook dazzled the crowd with a season-high tying 39.100 all-around score to claim her fourth title of the year and the second all-around crown of her career. She capped the meet as the anchor of UK?s floor lineup, which posted a 48.600 on the night.
Cook wasn?t the only Wildcat to take home a title as freshman Hillary Ferguson dropped a 9.85 on the floor to win her first career event crown. The Richmond, Ky., native has now gone 9.85 or better in three straight meets and has posted at least a 9.8 in five of seven outings this year.
The floor score came one rotation after Kentucky scored a season-best 48.750 on the beam, the sixth-best mark in head coach Mo Mitchell?s tenure. It was the highest score since UK set the school record last year at Arkansas.
Sophomore Heather Hite led the way with her customary solid performance, registering a 9.85 for the second straight week ? the third straight of 9.85 or better. She just bettered Cook and freshman Emilie Rymer who each posted 9.8s. Hite just lost out to Emily Peacock?s 9.875 for what would have been her second bar title of the season.
However, the LadyBacks proved to be too much, scoring a 48.775 on floor before wrapping up the meet with a season-high 49.175 on beam.
The first half of the meet was where Arkansas gained a big lead as UK had season low scores on both vault and bars. Rymer and Cook tied for the team lead with a pair of 9.75s as the Wildcats suffered two falls and opened the meet with a 48.125 on vault. Meanwhile, the LadyBacks went for a 48.900 on bars, led by Peacock?s title-winning 9.875.
Kentucky followed with a 48.175 on bars, again being forced to count a fall. Cook finished second in the meet to Peacock with a 9.825 while fellow senior Lucy Burgin scored a 9.775 in her final home meet. In the rotation, Arkansas scored a 49.000, paced by Samantha Cortez?s 9.875 and Casey Jo Magee?s 9.85.
Along with Cook and Burgin, seniors Rachel Riley and Alison Sarucci were honored prior to the meet. The senior class has earned two trips to NCAA Regionals and posted the winningest season in school history last year.
Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, March 4 when it travels to Ohio State for the first of four consecutive away meets.
