The No. 3 Florida (4-1, 3-1 SEC) gymnastics team defeated Kentucky (2-3, 1-3 SEC) 196.35-193.05 Friday evening in front of a Memorial Coliseum crowd of 2,181.
Senior Ashley Reed picked up her second all-around title of 2008 - which also is the 10th of her collegiate career. She is the seventh gymnast in the 36-year history of Florida gymnastics to earn 10 or more all-around titles as a Gator. Her winning total Friday, 39.325, is her season-best. Reed also picked up her first vault title of the season, posting a 9.875.
“I can't believe it,” Reed said. “It always is a lot of fun to get the all-around win. I had a fun time out there tonight and just had a great meet. It all came out really good in the end.”
UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn thought that Reed had a great night.
“Ashley's vault tonight was the best I've seen her do,” Faehn said. “She was very clean tonight, which is what she is capable of doing every time she steps out there. It is wonderful to see that she is gaining confidence each meet with the higher level of difficulty that she is using this season.”
Florida opened the meet with a six-for-six uneven bars set, posting a 49.025. Melanie Sinclair, using her double layout with a full twist dismount, received the evening's high bar mark of 9.875 to win her second consecutive and third bar title of the season. Senior Nicola Willis was second with a season-best 9.85.
On vault, Florida turned in an even 49.00 Friday. Reed won the event at 9.875, while fellow senior Tiffany Murry shared second overall on the event with Kentucky's Emily Green and Hillary Ferguson at 9.825.
The Gators took all the spots on the awards stand for the final two events. Corey Hartung claimed her first floor exercise title of the season with a 9.875, followed by Amanda Castillo (9.85) and Reed (9.825).
Castillo used the high mark on any event Friday to pick up her second balance beam title of the season. She stuck her double-back dismount without as much as a waver to earn a season-best score of 9.90. Hartung was runner-up at 9.85, while Reed and Willis shared third with identical marks of 9.825.
Florida took one-two-three in the final all-around standings. Following Reed was Castillo at 39.275 and Hartung at 39.15.
Faehn saw good things from the Gators on all events Friday.
“I think the team's performance was the best we've had this season. We were really pleased. Things started off great on bars. It was nice to have six hit routines. Maranda (Smith) was a very solid start for us. We did have some small steps on the landings, so that is something we will focus on at Pittsburgh. Our Yurchenko one and a half (vaults) were the best we've done all year. There were some nice, clean floor routines tonight. Amanda (Castillo) stuck that beam dismount and didn't even have a wobble during the routine – it was a great routine,” Faehn said. “I thought the team had a very consistent and aggressive performance everywhere.”
The weekend continues Sunday when the Gators meet the Pittsburgh Panthers (1-4) in Pittsburgh, Pa., for a Sunday, Feb. 10 dual. Meet time is set for 1 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House. Sunday' meet will be a homecoming for a pair of Gators. Hartung and sophomore Rebekah Zaiser are both from towns located just outside of Pittsburgh, Pa.
| Final Team Standings |
| No. 3 Florida at Kentucky – Feb. 8, 2008 –Memorial Coliseum (2,181) |
| | Team | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. | Florida | 49.000 | 49.025 | 49.200 | 49.125 | 196.350 |
| 2. | Kentucky | 48.775 | 48.250 | 47.625 | 48.500 | 193.150 |
