Worley, Nixon Lead Kentucky to 197.450 in Quad Meet Victory
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Gymnastics team led by Cally Nixon and Raena Worley’s impressive nights scored a 197.450 Friday, claiming the win in a quad meet with Georgia, Illinois and Central Michigan inside Memorial Coliseum.
With Kentucky scoring higher than Georgia, the Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs for the first time in the history of the program. UGA scored a 196.125 to take second place, Illinois scored a 195.650 for third and rounding out the night was Central Michigan in fourth with a 195.550.
“The validation of two 197.400-pluses in a row is what this team needed,” UK head coach Tim Garrison said. “To be able to put it together twice in a row validates everything we’ve done in the preseason.”
It was another sensational night for junior Raena Worley, who went 39.725 in the all-around, winning the meet in that category by over four tenths. Worley went four-for-four in scoring 9.9’s or higher on the night, now making it 15 of 16 events this season in which she’s scored above a 9.9. Worley scored a 9.9 on vault, 9.925 on bars, 9.925 on beam and a season-high and career-high tying 9.95 on floor.
Kentucky got a boost from Cally Nixon on Friday night, putting up a 9.975 on bars, a new career high. Nixon also contributed a 9.850 as she continued to be steady on vault this season, putting up strong numbers in both of her events Friday night.
UK scored a 49.250, marking another meet for the Wildcats above a 49 to start the 2022 season. Worley’s 9.9 led the way with Makenzie Wilson, Jillian Procasky, Cally Nixon and Arianna Patterson also all scoring above a 9.8 on the event.
Bars was where UK made its statement Friday night, scoring a 49.475 – a new season high. Nixon led the way with her 9.975 with Shealyn Luksik (9.9) and Worley (9.925) also scoring above a 9.9 on the night to push UK into the season-best number.
A strong beam performance for the second weekend in a row was led by a 9.925 from Worley and a 9.9 from both Josie Angeny and Bailey Bunn. The 49.275 on beam for UK pushed the Wildcats into the lead for the final rotation, in which UK nailed to secure the win.
In the final act Friday night, Kentucky went big, scoring a mammoth 49.450 on floor, led by a 9.975 from Worley and a 9.925 from Anna Haigis, who returned to the lineup this weekend. All five of UK’s counted scored were above a 9.825 and UK ran to the victory podium seizing the night with a margin of 1.325 points.
Kentucky will next travel to Arkansas as it returns to dual meet competition in the Southeastern Conference. The meet will be Friday night at 8 p.m. ET and shown live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
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