Jan. 23, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – During the Wildcats’ first conference home meet, the No. 11 LSU Tigers (6-1 overall, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) edged Kentucky (1-2, 0-2 SEC), 196.575-195.225, both scores being season-highs for the two teams. UK also secured team season-high scores on three events, uneven bars (48.975), floor (49.200) and vault with head coach Mo Mitchell’s career-high total of 49.225 on the event.
Kentucky currently ranks No. 11 on the vault with a season average of 49.075. Anchored by two scores of 9.900 landed by junior Emily Green and freshman Whitney Rose, the Blue and White gave a solid kick start to the meet with a 49.225, a top-10 score for the program. Rose’s score was a career-high which also earned the Frisco, Texas, native her first collegiate event title. The two Wildcats secured top-honors with LSU’s Ashleigh Clare-Kearney who is ranked No. 2.
Senior Natalie Rubinstein, who is nationally ranked 14th on the uneven bars, tied her season-high with a 9.850. Junior Jamie Reimann of Johnston, Iowa, secured a career-high 9.775 on the bars while junior Hillary Ferguson grabbed a season-high 9.825 on the event. The Tiger’s Clare-Kearny, ranked ninth nationally on the apparatus, earned the event’s title with a season-high 9.925. UK’s total of 48.975 was the team’s second season-high of the evening.
The only blemish for Kentucky was the balance beam, an event the Cats have struggled on thus far. Senior Heather Hite led the Cats with a 9.850 and Ferguson followed closely behind with a career-high 9.825. LSU’s Summer Hubbard took the vault’s title with a career-high 9.900.
The Wildcats attempted a comeback on the floor exercise, which has always been a solid event for Kentucky. UK grabbed its third team season-high with a 49.200, with Hite at the front earning her 21st career and ninth floor title. The Parkersburg, W. Va., native took a season-high 9.900 to lead the event, followed by 13th-ranked Ferguson’s 9.850. Sophomore Andrea Mitchell had a career high-tying 9.800 as freshman Storey Morris secured an identical score for her career best.
“I’m really proud of what we did on three events tonight,” Mitchell said. “We still have work to do on beam, but I’m proud of how came back on the floor exercise. There’s only one event that has held us back, and we’ll take care of it.”
Two Tiger’s took the top spots in the all-around led by Clare-Kearney, who is ranked No. 20 on the event, with a 39.600. Kentucky’s Ferguson placed third with a career high-tying 39.275, just behind Hubbard’s 39.375.
Kentucky continues SEC competition for the next four weeks, heading to Gainesville, Fla., on Fri., Jan. 30 for the Gator’s Pink Meet.
