Florida Gators

The No. 3 Florida gymnastics team (7-2, 4-2 SEC) dropped a narrow 197.225-197.125 decision at No. 5 Alabama (6-1, 5-1 SEC) Friday evening in front of a Coleman Coliseum crowd of 11,864.

Both teams performed well Friday, as each team hit all 24 routines of their lineup. The one-tenth margin matches the narrowest margin for a Tide win over the Gators. The Tide also defeated UF by a tenth in a 1991 home dual meet and at the 1983 NCAA Southeast Regionals.

The Gators held a slender 0.25 lead heading into the meet's final rotation, but Florida's scoring on beam couldn't match the Tide's season-best floor total, as UA finished with a 2008 best final total of 197.225. Florida was six-for-six on beam, but steps on dismounts hurt the Gators score. The 197.125 is Florida's season-high road score and matches the team's second-highest total of 2008. Although the Gators were edged for the win, UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn saw plenty that she liked from Florida tonight.

“I was very pleased with how we performed. The team went out there and performed wonderfully and confidently,” Faehn said. “This was a big crowd and I think it is important for our athletes to gain experience in this type of environment. I'm just so proud of how they went out there and didn't hold back. We can't control the scores, we only can control what we have to do from here on out for the rest of the season.”

“You definitely can't have missed landings when it's a close, tight competition. You want to try to minimize any deductions at all,” she continued. “We had a few steps on our beam dismounts that definitely didn't help us, but we did a great job and got a great score on the road. Obviously we wanted to win, but our athletes did a phenomenal job and we are going to use this to prepare for our final home meet against Utah.”

Junior Corey Hartung made it an even dozen for career all-around titles, sharing Friday's win with Alabama sophomore Kassi Price at 39.50. This is Hartung's fifth all-around win of the season. Sophomore Amanda Castillo was third at 39.45.

Florida opened the meet with a six-for-six uneven bars performance, posting a 49.025. Hartung led UF on the event at 9.85 to share her first bars title of the season with Price. Nicola Willis shared third at 9.825 with UA's Kaitlin White and Ricki Lebegern.

Both teams turned in season-best vault performances Friday. Florida's total of 49.525 equals the second-highest total in school history. Senior Ashley Reed matched her collegiate-best of 9.95 to share her second vault title of the season with UA's Kayla Hoffman. Castillo was third with her career-best of 9.925.

Hartung matched her collegiate floor best of 9.95 for the fourth time of her career and the first time this season to share her fourth title of the season with UA's Hoffman. Florida posted a solid 49.40 on the event and also received 9.875s from Castillo and Willis.

Balance beam was the only event that a Gator didn't pick up at least a share of the meet's title. Price took the beam win at 9.90. Melanie Sinclair shared second at 9.875 with UA sophomore Morgan Dennis.

Tonight's meet will air tape delayed on CSS (Comcast Sports Southeast) March 4 at 7 p.m.

Florida takes a week off from competition before playing host to No. 2 Utah (8-0) on Friday, March 14. Meet time is set for 7 p.m. at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. It's Senior Night at Gator gymnastics and Florida's seniors Tiffany Murry, Ashley Reed and Nicola Willis will be honored at the meet. Tickets are $4.00 for adults, while children 17 and under and UF students with identification are admitted free.