Jan. 24, 2015
ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 14 Kentucky gymnastics team fell on the road to No. 10 Georgia, 196.975-194.225 on Saturday in Stegeman Coliseum.
The Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) recorded four season-high or career-high-tying scores against the Bulldogs (2-2, 2-0 SEC), who scored a season-high team score in front of a sellout crowd of 9.957.
“It was a tough day, but I’m proud of the way our team responded to two unfortunate injuries early in the competition,” head coach Tim Garrison said. “The depth we have been building helped us salvage what could have been a very long day. We will be back in the gym working to fill any voids and move towards achieving our goals which are unchanged.”
Junior Marissa Beucler and freshman Cori Rechenmacher each led or tied for the team lead on two events. Freshman Brittany Furuyama, sophomore Taylor Puryear and senior Kayla Hartley also tallied team-high-tying scores.
Beucler, who had not competed in UK’s first two meets this season, replaced redshirt junior Alexis Gross in the lineup after Gross suffered an injury in warm-ups. Beucler finished first or second on all three events she competed in.
UK began the meet on bars with a 48.900, the second-highest total on the event this season. The Wildcats added a 48.775 on vault before a 48.825 on floor, tied for the second-best score this year. On beam, Kentucky closed the meet with a 47.725. Georgia recorded at least a 49.100 on all four events.
The Wildcats return home to host No. 7 Alabama on Jan. 30. The contest is the second annual DanceBlue Meet, where UK will join the fight against pediatric cancer and support the on-campus organization DanceBlue. The team will raise awareness and money to benefit children with cancer who are treated at the Pediatric Oncology Hematology Clinic on the UK campus.
Kentucky opened the meet with a 48.900 on uneven bars, its second-highest total of the season on the event. Beucler and Rechenmacher’s 9.800 led the Wildcats, while freshmen Katie Carlisle and Sydney Waltz both posted a 9.775. Junior Amy Roemmele led off the meet for UK with a 9.750.
On vault, UK scored a 48.775, led by Beucler and Furuyama, each with a 9.775. Hartley and senior Shelby Hilton both scored a 9.750, while freshman Sydney Waltz added a 9.725.
The third rotation sent Kentucky to floor, where the Wildcats scored a 48.825, tied for their highest total of the season. Puryear and Hartley anchored with a team-high-tying 9.800, Puryear competing fifth and Hartley sixth for UK. Senior Shannon Mitchell scored a 9.775 to begin a strong last-three competitors for Kentucky, and Hilton and junior Tiara Phipps begin the rotation each with a 9.725.
The Wildcats closed the meet with a 47.725 on beam, counting a fall. Rechenmacher’s 9.825 was a team-high, her third team-best score of the season and the second of the meet. Beucler and Mitchell both recorded a 9.575, and junior Montana Whittle added a 9.550. Roemmele led off for UK with a 9.200.
For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Gymnastics program, go to UKathletics.com. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates, photos and more can be found on Twitter at @UKGymnastics and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKGymnastics.
