Florida Gators

The No. 5 University of Florida gymnastics team (9-2, 3-2 SEC) came back from an early deficit to take the win at No. 18 Kentucky (7-3, 1-3 SEC) Friday evening in front of a Memorial Coliseum crowd of 1,414. The Gators posted their best road score of the season, 196.40, while Kentucky finished with a season-best 195.55. The Gators did well individually, as a Florida gymnast claimed at least a share of every event title Friday.

Florida opened the meet with a shaky uneven bars set. No falls were recorded in the Gators' team total of 48.775, but some form breaks hurt UF's score. The final two Florida performers turned in solid routines, though, as Corey Hartung earned a 9.875 and Samantha Lutz matched her collegiate- best and the Gators' season-high uneven bars mark of 9.90. Lutz shared the evening's uneven bars title with UK's Krystle Cook, while Hartung and UK's Lucy Burgin tied for third. After the first rotation, the Gators trailed the GymKats by .15 after UK opened the meet with a vault total of 48.925.

The Gators came back with a season-best vault team total of 49.325. Stuck landings by Breanne King (9.825), Nicola Willis (9.85), Katie Rue (9.90) and Tiffany Murry (9.925) all resulted in season-best marks. The Gators swept the final standings with Murry collecting her sixth vault title of the season. Rue was second, while Willis took third. Florida moved ahead by .125 at the midway point of the meet and didn't relinquish the lead for the remainder of the competition.

The second-highest season floor exercise total of 49.275 was turned in by the Gators Friday. Hartung upped the Gators' season-best on the event to win her third floor title of the season with her collegiate-best mark of 9.95. She now joins teammate Savannah Evans (in 2004) as the only two freshmen in Florida history to earn floor marks of 9.95.

“I made every pass. I tried to do the best I could and guess they were all pretty nicely stuck,” Hartung said. “I was very excited to get the 9.95, my highest score ever.”

Willis raised her collegiate floor best to 9.90 as she shared second overall with UK's Heather Hite. Florida also got season-best floor marks of 9.825 from Rue and Ashley Reed. Friday's performance was Reed's first appearance in the Gators' floor lineup this season.

Florida's first five balance beam competitors hit their routines, as the Gators posted a 49.05 on the event Friday. Reed, the Gators' lead-off performer, matched her collegiate-best mark of 9.85 to win her first beam title of the season.

“I've upgraded my difficulty on beam this season. As the lead-off, I want to be consistent to get the team off to a good start. So I was really happy with beam tonight,” Reed said. “I'm getting better a sticking my dismount so that might have helped.”

Hartung was second on beam at 9.825. Chantelle Tousek and Rue shared third with UK's Hite at 9.80.

Hartung earned her fourth all-around title of the season Friday, matching her collegiate- and Gator season-best total of 39.45 for the second consecutive outing. Reed, making her first all-around appearance of the season, was second at 39.20. UK's Krystle Cook was third at 39.175.

“I'm happy with how the team finished up. It was a little bit frustrating because it was a dismal performance on bars just in general. Tiffany (Murry) had a fall as our first performer and some of the following performers seemed to be a little tight. The next three had to count a form break or an error in their routines, so four in a row is just tough,” UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn said. “But I told them to just forget it about it before we went to the next event, and they did, resulting in an excellent vault performance. That was wonderful to see. I was also proud of how we did on floor and beam. It was good to see us come away with a good road score with everyone healthy for the most part.”

“Corey Hartung did an amazing job tonight,” she continued. “It was nice to see Ashley Reed back in the all-around lineup for the first time since last season. She made her floor routine with the upgraded difficulty and she won the beam tonight from the lead-off position. She had a great routine. It was also great to see how Katie Rue responded to a last minute lineup change. She was added to the beam lineup just before the three-minute touch. Her mental toughness was able to handle the change and she hit a very solid routine. I was so proud of her for that.”

Florida now travels to Raleigh, N.C., where it will compete in a triangular meet on Sunday, Feb. 19 versus North Carolina State and William & Mary. Meet time is set for 4 p.m. in the RBC Center.