Arkansas gymnasts nipped by Kentucky
SEC GYMNASTICS NO. 13 KENTUCKY 196.75, NO. 15 ARKANSAS 196.65
FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas’ No. 8-ranked floor exercise team closed a big gap in the final rotation, but Kentucky’s No. 8 balance beam team held strong in the clutch as the Wildcats hung on for a 196.75 to 196.65 win on Friday.
The No. 13 Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 SEC) won their fourth consecutive dual meet over the No. 15 Razorbacks (0-4, 0-2 SEC) who dropped their 10th consecutive SEC dual meet before a crowd of 5,321 at Barnhill Arena.
Arkansas, trailing by 0.425, busted out for a season-high 49.525 on the floor exercise, led by event-winning 9.925s from Sophia Carter and Kennedy Hambrick to put pressure on the Wildcats. The team score was the second-highest in school history on the floor.
Kentucky stayed on the beam and Josie Angeny’s 9.875 routine in the anchor spot clinched the meet which was shown on the SEC Network.
Kentucky senior Mollie Korth scored no lower than 9.875 to claim her 20th career all-around crown with a 39.625. Korth won the vault (9.95), tied Arkansas’ Sydney Laird on the uneven bars (9.9) and tied the Razorbacks’ Jessica Yamzon and Angeny on the balance beam (9.875).
Hambrick placed second in the all-around with a 39.425, while Yamzon placed fourth (39.225) and Arkansas’ Kiara Gianfagna was sixth (39.05).
The Razorbacks gave away too many tenths with shaky landings on the first two rotations and had a sub-par beam performance.
Kentucky jumped out to an early 49.275-49.0 lead after the Wildcats stuck five dismounts on the uneven bars. Korth led the way with a 9.9, while teammate Shealyn Luksik added a 9.875.
The Razorbacks had several hops on their vault landings. Sarah Shaffer led the unit with a perfectly landed 9.9.