Worley Earns Two Event Wins in Regular Season Finale
ATHENS, Ga. – Raena Worley ended her sophomore regular-season campaign with the 12th and 13th individual event wins of her career, while the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats fell 197.325-196.900 to the No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs on Friday at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Cats end the regular season at 4-4 (4-3 Southeastern Conference), while the Dogs improve to 3-5 (2-5 SEC).
“We have made major strides this season and are capable of performing at a high level consistently,” said head coach Tim Garrison. “Tonight wasn’t a perfect night by any means, but we managed a respectable score in a tough loss.”
Kentucky surpassed the 49-point threshold on each event for the fifth consecutive time, matching its best balance beam rotation of the season.
The Wildcats began the night on uneven parallel bars, where Worley led the rotation from the anchor spot with a 9.900. Junior Cally Nixon and freshman Bailey Bunn each managed scores of 9.850, tying a season high for the latter. Junior Josie Angeny’s 9.825 was matched by freshman Hailey Davis’ new season high from the lead-off spot.
After Kentucky’s 49.250 performance on bars was coupled with a 49.075 on vault, the Wildcats trailed 98.550-98.325 midway through the meet.
It was during the Wildcats’ floor exercise that Worley notched her third win on the apparatus this season, anchoring the rotation with a 9.925. In addition to counted routines by Anna Haigis (9.875), Angeny (9.850) and Bunn (9.800), Kentucky saw sophomore Raina Albores earn a season-high 9.775.
Following its 49.225 on floor, Kentucky turned in a beam go-round of 49.350. Albores led off on the event with a career-high 9.825, equaled by freshman Isabella Magnelli from the second slot. Bunn notched the team’s best score with a season-high-tying 9.925, followed closely by a 9.900 from Worley and a 9.875 from Angeny.
Worley was named the competition’s all-around champion with a 39.500 total, marking her fifth all-around victory of the season. Angeny finished second overall at 39.400, while Bunn ended third at 39.375.
Kentucky is slated for a two-week hiatus before opening postseason play at the SEC Championship on Saturday, March 20, in Huntsville, Alabama.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
