LIVE BLOG: No. 12 Kentucky at No. 2 Florida

It’s Senior Night in the O’Dome, and Florida has the opportunity to hit several big milestones. The Gators have only surpassed 198 once this season, which feels hard to believe given the various inflated scoring controversies surrounding the Gators in recent weeks, but is as good an opportunity as any to do it. It’s also one more chance for Trinity Thomas to score a few 10.000 marks en route to her quest to become the gymnast with the most perfect scores; to be in sole possession, she’s four away.

Kentucky is wrapping up an impressive regular season that has seen the top two team scores in program history and a program vault record. The Wildcats have the chance to get another good road score tonight as they look to bolster their NQS in advance of SEC championships, where they’re fighting to get an evening session spot as has been custom for them in recent years.

Rotation 1: Florida VT, Kentucky UB

Richards VT: squats landing tries for stick, ends up hopping to the side. 9.750

Davis UB: Jaeger flexed feet, short handstand into the bail, perfect last handstand, DLO nice position in the air, steps back. 9.825

Wong VT: Half on pike half off, seems stuck but replay shows tiny step back. 9.925

Bunn UB: Nice first handstand, big height on Jaeger, DLO piked in the first flip, step. 9.850

Blakely VT: some legs in the air, sticks y1.5. 9.900

Riegert UB: Jaeger fine, really nice toepoint through this, last handstand short, DLO college stick. 9.800

DiCello VT: legs bent in the air, step to the side on y1.5. 9.800

DeGuzman UB: takes Jaeger to chest, ouch. Lots of cheers for her mounting again, nice to see away. Pikey DLO, small hop. 8.850

Thomas VT: Here comes the sonic boom of sound for her senior night. Big hop forward on y1.5, not her usual. Gators aren’t feeling sticky tonight. 9.850

Luksik UB: toe-on Tkatchev perfect, nice handstands, bail a bit loose, DLO little step in place. 9.900

Clark VT: hop back on the full, pretty similar to…you know, THAT vault she did earlier in the season. 9.825

Worley UB: Tkatchev not the most height, Pak pretty, full-in chest wway down. 9.825

After 1: Florida 49.300, Kentucky 49.200

And it’s close after one. Exactly what we would have thought on senior night.

Rotation 2: Kentucky VT, Florida UB

Blakely UB: good first handstand, Maloney caught, legs together on Pak, double tuck deep squat but stuck. 9.925

LaClair VT: some crossed legs in the air, flairs out yfull, step back. 9.800

Nguyen UB: beautiful Pak, last handstand nearly perf, DLO step forward. 9.875

Wilson VT: pike half chest WAY down steps to the side. 9.625

DiCello UB: Tkatchev huge height, handstand good into Pak, Maloney caught, last handstand short, big full-in holds stick..9.975. The boos that come after the first judges flashes 10 and the second doesn’t are always deafening.

Patterson VT: pike half chest position better than the last, step back. 9.925

Thomas UB: Maloney caught as usual, it gets very quiet, perfect last handstand here we go…DLO stuck. Bam. 9.975. She looks a little disappointed.

Magnelli VT: sticks pike half! 9.950

Wong UB: pretty first handstand, the difficulty and technique in this bars lineup is unmatched, stuck DLO. 9.975

Worley VT: stuck y1.5, the Cats quietly killing it over there. 9.950

McCusker UB: handstands looking good, not as labored as some of her others, short last handstand, holds stick on double back for a MINUTE. OU style. 9.950, Judge 2 flashed a 10.

Bourque VT: 9.850

After 2: Florida 99.100, Kentucky 98.675

49.800 is a program bars record for UF and obviously a season high as well. The Gators delivering after a meh start on vault. Kentucky was no slouch on vault, showing some nice sticks.

Rotation 3: Florida BB, Kentucky FX

Blakely BB: front aerial to BHS no hesitation, switch to switch half to beat some flexed feet slight break, gainer full off the side. chest down, holds stick. 9.875

Wilson FX: front double tuck through to double back controlled lunge, back 1.5 front lay, love the pose to end. 9.825

Richards BB: The Florida beam music always has me hoping the gymnasts are okay…it’s always so sad… I mean Kill Bill?? Anyway BHS LOSO slight hesitation, switch half not quite 180, next straddle combo better, back 1.5 step forward. 9.775

Albores FX: Front rudi to BHS, straddle leaps great position, double pike chest low. Like her choreo. 9.850

Lazzari BB: triple series her usual, leaps 180, back 1.5 hop forward. 9.875

Patterson FX: back 1.5 to front lay so floaty, oversplit on straddle, double tuck chest up feet stay just about in place. 9.900

DiCello BB: wolf turn no hesitation, BHS LOSO same, front aerial little check, gainer full off the side is stuck. 9.925

Magnelli FX: front rudi to BHS, oop Gunna/Future Pushin P music, double tuck chest down and stuck. 9.875

Thomas BB: Little wobble on BHS LOSO, front aerial to two feet perfect. beat to Rulfova, side aerial to back 1.5 hop forward. 9.900

Davis FX: double pike fine, rock medley, back 1.5 to front lay, double tuck all solid passes. 9.925

Wong BB: BHS LOSO check, wobbles a bit, front aerial to beat. Good. sticks double full to end. 9.875

Worley FX: full-in chest up, front double full to front lay perfect. double tuck brings chest up. 9.950

Clapper doing a beam exh for senior night. Bourque floor exh for UK.

After 3: Florida 148.550, Kentucky 148.175

Rotation 4: Kentucky BB, Florida FX

Luksik BB: Onodi pretty, BHS LOSO, leap combo fine positions, gainer pike. 9.825

Nguyen FX: front double full to sissone back 1.5 front lay. 9.900

Reigert BB: series no hesitation, switch to back tuck balance check, back 1.5 step/slide forward. 9.750

Baumann FX: back 1.5 to front full, beautiful leap position, double pike slide back. Love her music. 9.900

Bunn BB: triple series very slight check, pretty leaps, sticks back double full chest down. 9.875

Richards FX: DLO chest up perfect, back 1.5 front full, the usual poses, leaps fine. 9.925

Patterson BB: Series dynamic, no check, no hesitation on leaps, back 1.5 looks like a small slide. 9.900

Blakely FX: OOB on double arabian, back 1.5 front lay. 9.725 hammered.

Worley BB: front aerial to BHS LOSO, back 1.5 holds stick. 9.925

Thomas FX: double lay the usual, straddles good 180 position, back 1.5 sticks front lay. Getting a standing O. 9.975. No 10s on her senior night..

Magnelli BB: Girl good luck in this noise. Triple series good, not cracking under pressure. Sticks back gainer pike. 9.875.

DiCello FX: stumbles out of double front. rest is good. 9.900…

FINAL: Florida 198.150, Kentucky 197.575

VT: Magnelli & Worley 9.950
UB: DiCello, Thomas & Wong 9.975
BB: DiCello & Worley 9.925
FX: Thomas 9.975
AA: Thomas 39.700

READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Breaking Down One Near-Perfect Routine on Each Event From Week 7


Live blog by Katherine Weaver

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