COLUMBIA, Mo. ā After a shaky start, the No. 4 Alabama gymnastics team roared back to earn a 197.225-195.500 win at No. 8 Missouri Friday night in the Hearnes Center.
Following an uncharacteristically wobbly start on the uneven bars, Alabama bounced back with a strong showing on vault and then, following a floor exercise rotation filled with new faces, the Crimson Tide caught fire on the balance beam.
Led off by a season-best 9.900 from senior Keely McNeer, freshman Wynter Childers followed with a 9.925, which led to freshman Maddie Desch's 9.875. Senior Aja Sims posted a 9.95 to tie her career best score on beam in the fourth spot while junior Nickie Guerrero closed out the rotation and the meet with a career-best tying 9.95 of her own. The Tide's 49.600 on the balance beam tied the fourth-highest total in school history.
"To end on beam with that kind of confidence, that's what is going to make us a championship team," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said.
Guerrero won the vault and balance beam with matching 9.95s. She shared top honors on the beam with Sims. Senior Katie Bailey won the uneven bars with a 9.875 while junior Kiana Winston won the floor exercise with a 9.95.
Starting on the uneven bars, Alabama scored a 49.150 behind a 9.875 from senior Katie Bailey and a 9.85 from freshman Shea Mahoney in her competitive debut in the Tide's lineup.
"We had a very shaky start," Duckworth said. "The work we've done on uneven bars dismounts didn't show tonight."
On the vault, The Tide posted a season-best 49.375, led by a career-best 9.95 from Guerrero. McNeer led the Tide off with a 9.85, a score matched by freshman Wynter Childers, in her UA vault debut, as well as sophomore Abby Armbrecht. Bailey finished out the rotation with a 9.875.
"What we did on vault tonight built a momentum," Duckworth said. "I was so proud of Keely for leading us off like that and Wynter stepping up like that. It was a big deal because that's the event she got hurt on, so I couldn't be more proud of her for what she's accomplished both mentally and physically. I'm also proud of Abby for getting that big vault out there and being rewarded for it. For Nickie to do the best vault of her career and for Katie to keep moving in the right direction on vault, it was a great, great rotation.
On the floor exercise, Alabama posted a 49.100 led by Winston's second floor exercise score of 9.95 in as many meets. Sims finished off the Tide's floor exercise rotation with a 9.9.
"We came over on the floor exercise and have some breaks, but never give up ā that was the biggest lesson," Duckworth said.
Following an uncharacteristically wobbly start on the uneven bars, Alabama bounced back with a strong showing on vault and then, following a floor exercise rotation filled with new faces, the Crimson Tide caught fire on the balance beam.
Led off by a season-best 9.900 from senior Keely McNeer, freshman Wynter Childers followed with a 9.925, which led to freshman Maddie Desch's 9.875. Senior Aja Sims posted a 9.95 to tie her career best score on beam in the fourth spot while junior Nickie Guerrero closed out the rotation and the meet with a career-best tying 9.95 of her own. The Tide's 49.600 on the balance beam tied the fourth-highest total in school history.
"To end on beam with that kind of confidence, that's what is going to make us a championship team," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said.
Guerrero won the vault and balance beam with matching 9.95s. She shared top honors on the beam with Sims. Senior Katie Bailey won the uneven bars with a 9.875 while junior Kiana Winston won the floor exercise with a 9.95.
Starting on the uneven bars, Alabama scored a 49.150 behind a 9.875 from senior Katie Bailey and a 9.85 from freshman Shea Mahoney in her competitive debut in the Tide's lineup.
"We had a very shaky start," Duckworth said. "The work we've done on uneven bars dismounts didn't show tonight."
On the vault, The Tide posted a season-best 49.375, led by a career-best 9.95 from Guerrero. McNeer led the Tide off with a 9.85, a score matched by freshman Wynter Childers, in her UA vault debut, as well as sophomore Abby Armbrecht. Bailey finished out the rotation with a 9.875.
"What we did on vault tonight built a momentum," Duckworth said. "I was so proud of Keely for leading us off like that and Wynter stepping up like that. It was a big deal because that's the event she got hurt on, so I couldn't be more proud of her for what she's accomplished both mentally and physically. I'm also proud of Abby for getting that big vault out there and being rewarded for it. For Nickie to do the best vault of her career and for Katie to keep moving in the right direction on vault, it was a great, great rotation.
On the floor exercise, Alabama posted a 49.100 led by Winston's second floor exercise score of 9.95 in as many meets. Sims finished off the Tide's floor exercise rotation with a 9.9.
"We came over on the floor exercise and have some breaks, but never give up ā that was the biggest lesson," Duckworth said.
