No. 7 Kentucky Knocks Off No. 11 Auburn, 197.050-196.600, on Excite Night
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In front of a sold-out crowd of 6,051 at Historic Memorial Coliseum, No.7 Kentucky (4-2, 2-1 SEC) posted its second score greater than 197 on the opening month of the season in an Excite Night victory over No. 11 Auburn (8-2, 1-1 SEC), 197.050-196.600. The Wildcats took individual event titles on four of the five events and also added team event titles on three apparatus.
Skylar Killough-Wilhelm earned her second consecutive all-around victory with a 39.400 performance and also added her second title of the season on the uneven bars with a season best score of 9.950. The fifth year All-American from West Des Moines, Iowa now owns five event titles as a Wildcat.
Senior Makenzie Wilson won her tenth career vault title with another stuck front handspring pike half, earning a 9.925. Entering the meet, the Clinton, Tenn. native ranked No. 6 in the NCAA on the apparatus. The final Wildcat to claim an event win at HMC was senior Hailey Davis, who matched a season high score of 9.925 to earn her fifth career title on the floor exercise. Davis has scored 9.9 or better on floor in all four meets this season/
Overall, the Wildcats posted team event scores of 49.300 or higher on three of the four rotations, outscoring the Tigers on vault, bars, and floor. Wilson’s event title led a below-average vault rotation for the Cats—who entered Excite Night ranked No. 5 on the event. The senior’s 9.925 was the only score above 9.9, with only Cecily Rizo and Isabella Magnelli adding scores of 9.8 or better. The Cats finished the first rotation with a season low vault score of 49.075.
On bars—however—the Wildcat dialed in an impressive rotation with multiple stuck double layout dismounts. Junior Isabella Rivelli set the tone with a 9.875 out of the leadoff spot, topping her season best by almost a tenth. Jillian Procasky added another 9.875 for the Cats, who also counted scores of 9.800 from Ryan Noonan and Delaynee Rodriguez. After trailing following the first rotation, the Cats’ 49.300 on bars—just .025 off their season best—gave them a lead they would never relinquish.
Kentucky would post its highest event score of the night on the balance beam, scoring a 49.375 to come within a quarter of a tenth of their its season best. The nation’s No. 9 beam team has now posted three consecutive meets of an apparatus score of 49.250 or higher. Isabella Magnelli posted the top score for the Cats once again, delivering a nearly-flawless 9.925 performance from the anchor spot. It was her third 9.925 this season and the Suffern, N.Y. native has yet to drop below 9.9 in her fifth year campaign. Three Wildcats added solid scores of 9.875—Killough-Wilhelm, Roriguez, and Sharon Lee.
The Wildcat sold the winning performance in front of the home crown during the final rotation, posting a 49.300 on the floor exercise. Ranked No. 6 in the country on the event, the Cats posted their second consecutive score of 49.300 or higher on the event and have enjoyed spectacular consistency, with all four team scores this season existing within a one-tenth range. Davis’s event win led the way, but was followed closely by the return to the floor for Creslyn Brose. A 2024 All-American on the apparatus, Brose performed her routine for the first time since the opening meet of the season, earning a season best score of 9.900. The Wildcats only counted scores of 9.8 or higher for the third time in the evening as Rodriguez added a 9.850 in the leadoff spot, Killough-Wilhelm posted a 9.825, and Rizo earned a 9.800.
The Wildcats will return to action in one week’s time, traveling to Norman, Okla. for a first-time conference battle with the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners. Action from the Lloyd Noble Center will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on the SEC Network.
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