Kentucky Gymnastics Posts 197.600 in Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 6 Kentucky gymnastics (3-2, 1-1 SEC) traveled to No. 8 LSU (4-1, 1-0 SEC) for Friday Night Heights at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center where the Wildcats fell 198.125-197.600.
Fifth-year Raena Worley earned her 10th individual win on the balance beam (9.925) while tying her career best on the uneven bars (9.975) which was earned in Las Vegas, Nev. earlier this season. She was second in the all-around (39.725) to LSU’s Haleigh Bryant (39.825).
The Wildcats began the night on bars where they tallied a combined 49.450. Worley was the top score for the team on the event while freshman leadoff Delaynee Rodriguez earned a new season and career best 9.900. Bailey Bunn and Annie Riegert each executed solid routines with stuck landings receiving 9.875 from the judges. Freshman Cecily Rizo made her debut on the event with a 9.825 while Cadence Gormely rounded out the rotation (9.775).
Kentucky then moved on to vault for the second rotation of the meet and cumulative score of 49.400. Sixth-year senior Arianna Patterson was Team 50’s highest score with a handspring front half that was awarded a 9.925. Junior Makenzie Wilson was the second highest score on the event for UK with a 9.900. Worley’s 9.875 helped keep the rotation solid, as did Rodriguez and Magnelli’s 9.850 with Rizo earning a 9.750.
Next up on the floor exercise, the Wildcats recorded their best event score of the meet – 49.475. Worley moon walked her way to a 9.950 for the second consecutive week. Her last tumbling pass, a double tuck, neared perfection as she ended her routine anchoring the apparatus. Freshman Creslyn Brose danced her way to a 9.925 while senior Hailey Davis rocked the house with a 9.900. Magnelli, Patterson and Rodriguez each earned 9.850 on the event.
To close the meet, Kentucky faced the balance beam which was the lowest scoring event of the night following a combined 49.275. Event-winning Worley lip-synched through her routine for a 9.925. Beam Queen Isabella Magnelli was the anchor on the event with a solid 9.900. Both Patterson and Rodriguez produced balanced efforts earning 9.850 with Gormely receiving a 9.750. Bunn was the lowest score on the event following a 9.500 but executed an impressive save to stay on the beam avoiding a fall.
The Wildcats will make their home debut next Friday in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center against Georgia for Excite Night.
Season and single-meet tickets are on sale and can be purchased through UKAthletics.com. Groups interested in special discounted tickets for meets should email WeAreUK@uky.edu.
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