Florida Gymnastics: Gators’ First Home Loss Since 2019
- Dan Bond
- Jan 27, 2024
- 3 min read
If you can remember back to that long ago, Florida last lost to Georgia on Feb. 22, 2019 — 57 weeks or 1,799 days ago.
Florida faced gymnastics rival Alabama Friday in front of another sold-out crowd of more than 8,800, continuing a streak of more than three seasons of sellouts for the Gators.
It was a battle of youth versus experience as Florida's top-ranked freshman class faced Alabama's senior-heavy squad, which included seven seniors and four super seniors, such as stars Luisa Blanco and Makarri Doggett. Blanco won the all-around competition with a score of 39.70 out of a possible 40.
However, it was a challenging start for Florida, playing catch-up from an uncharacteristic position on vault night.
Here's the recap, with six gymnasts competing for the top five scores:
Vault (Last week: 49.225)
- Freshman Skylar Draser: small step back on Yurchenko 1 ½ - 9.825
- Freshman Anya Pilgrim: 10.0 start value, very smooth - 9.925
- Ellie Lazzari: fell backward onto the mat, no distance off the vault - 9.150 (drop score)
- Victoria Nguyen: nailed it! - 9.975
- Leanne Wong: only vault not a Yurchenko 1 1/2, working on elite skills for the Paris team - 9.95
- Freshman Danny Ferris: fell backward - 9.60 (counting a fall is never ideal, especially at the meet's start)
Score: 49.275, down 0.100 after one rotation.
Uneven Bars (Last week: 49.400)
- Sloan Blakely: nice handstands, blind backward landing with a stick - 9.925
- Victoria Nguyen: fell on lower bar, legs separated early - 9.275 (drop score)
- Freshman Gabby Disidore: great routine following Nguyen's fall - 9.80
- Anya Pilgrim: legs glued together, minimal deductions - 9.925
- Ellie Lazzari: impressive performance after vault fall - 9.90
- Leanne Wong: slight hop on landing, overall beautiful routine - 9.90
Score: 49.350, trailing Alabama by 0.150 after two rotations.
Balance Beam (Last week: 49.225)
- Skylar Draser: double backflip, hopped on landing - 9.825 (drop score)
- Sloan Blakely: smooth front-to-back flip series, stuck landing - 9.925
- Anya Pilgrim: springboard mount, backflip series, excellent routine - 9.925
- Ellie Lazzari: triple series of back layouts, slight balance check, tiny hop - 9.90
- Victoria Nguyen: springboard mount, beautiful routine, tiny hop - 9.90
- Leanne Wong: major balance check - 9.875
Score: 49.525; UF now leads by 0.025 after three rotations.
Floor Exercise (Last week: 49.475)
- Lori Brubach: first pass with long runs, front layout 1 1/2 twists, second pass double tuck backflip - 9.825
- Victoria Nguyen: first pass double twist, excellent dance elements, second pass back twist to 1 1/2 - 9.850
- Anya Pilgrim: first pass flip mid-floor to backflip, second pass back handspring double flip - 9.825 (score arguably should have been higher)
- Sloan Blakely: first pass front flip to double, super clean, second pass front 1 1/2 flip - 9.925
- Leanne Wong: first pass double flip lands chest down (deduction), second pass flip to lunge back twist - 9.850
Florida needed a 9.95 to win. Alabama delivered a solid beam routine, and Florida needed mistakes from Alabama to win.
- Morgan Hurd: first pass front layout backflip lands out of bounds, second pass double backflip - 9.70
Score: 49.275; Florida loses to Alabama 197.575-197.425.
Overall, there were positives. The Gators continue to improve their overall score (197.425 versus 197.325 last week), crucial for postseason qualification. Ellie Lazzari's recovery after a 9.150 on vault to score 9.925 and 9.90 on bars and beam was remarkable. Anya Pilgrim shows promise and will only get better.
The judging, however, remains a point of contention
in gymnastics. Questionable scoring on floor exercises impacted the outcome, reminiscent of past national titles.
Nevertheless, if Florida had performed better on vault and Wong had a typical night, they could have triumphed over Alabama.
The key is to improve each week. Florida's next challenge is in Athens against a formidable Georgia team.
Comments