Feb. 18, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky gymnastics team concluded the road portion of its 2012 Southeastern Conference schedule by falling 197.225-193.125 to No. 4 Georgia on Saturday at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.
“We are obviously very disappointed with our performance tonight,” UK head coach Tim Garrison said. “The difference is that the entire team is disappointed, not just the coaching staff. They were not apologizing after the meet, instead they were mad. They wanted to go right back out there and compete again. A different Kentucky team walked out of that venue than the one that walked in four hours before, in a good way. Hopefully, this means we have turned a corner.”
Kentucky (3-6, 0-5 SEC) started the night on uneven bars with a team score of 48.475. Junior Caitlyn Ciokajlo led the Wildcats on the event with a career-high tying mark of 9.875, while senior Storey Morris followed closely behind with a season-high tying 9.8. Freshman Sara Shipley also tied a season high with a 9.75, while Harrison grabbed a 9.725. Gross scored a 9.325 on the event, while senior Whitney Rose scored 9.0.
Sophomore Holly Cunningham led Kentucky on vault for the third time in the last four meets, scoring a 9.825. Harrison also did well on the event, posting a 9.775, while freshman Kenzie Hedges grabbed a 9.7 on vault. Morris led Kentucky off on the event with a 9.65, while Gross finished off the UK rotation with a 9.625. Freshman Shelby Hilton posted a 9.35 on vault.
Kentucky posted a 48.45 on floor exercise and was led again by sophomore Kayla Hartley, who posted a 9.8. Hedges and Gross finished tied for second on the team with a pair of 9.7s. Hilton started the UK rotation and scored a 9.65, while Sienkowski went second and posted a 9.6. Harrison completed the UK scoring with a 9.575.
UK concluded the night on beam with a team score of 47.625. Sienkowski led the team and finished tied for first on the event with a career best 9.825. It is Sienkowski’s first career event title. Freshman Shannon Mitchell posted a 9.75, while Morris posted a 9.55 on the event. The event concluded with Harrison scoring a 9.25, Cunningham a 9.2 and Gross a 9.125.
Georgia’s Kathryn Ding took home the all-around title with a 39.55, while Noel Couch finished second with a 39.45. Kentucky sophomore Audrey Harrison finished third with a 38.325, while freshman Alexis Gross scored a 37.775.
The Wildcats will be in action again when it concludes its SEC schedule in a tri-meet on Friday against Auburn and Pittsburgh. The meet will be Kentucky’s annual “Pink Meet,” where fans can earn $1 admission into the event by wearing pink.
For more information on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow “UKGymnastics” on Twitter and Facebook.
Final Scores
1) Georgia 197.225, 2) Kentucky 193.125
UK Scores: Vault 48.575, Bars 48.475, Beam 47.625, Floor 48.45
Vault: Morris 9.65, Harrison 9.775, Cunningham 9.825, Hedges 9.7, Hilton 9.35, Gross 9.625
Bars: Rose 9.0, Gross 9.325, Harrison 9.725, Shipley 9.75, Morris 9.8, Ciokajlo 9.875
Beam: Sienkowski 9.825, Mitchell 9.75, Harrison 9.25, Gross 9.125, Morris 9.6, Cunningham 9.2
Floor: Hilton 9.65, Sienkowski 9.6, Gross 9.7, Hedges 9.7, Harrison 9.575, Hartley 9.8
All-Around: Harison 38.325 Gross 37.775
