Arianna Patterson smiling near beam

LIVE BLOG: No. 3 Kentucky at No. 6 Alabama

Tonight we have an exciting SEC dual meet featuring No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Alabama.  Kentucky is coming off of a historic week where it scored 197.950 setting a new team all around record. For the first time in program history, the Wildcats are also ranked number 3 in this week’s national rankings. Last week Alabama traveled to Florida in their first conference road trip of the season where it picked up a win scoring 197.575. Alabama is undefeated so far this season and has been ranked nationally in the top 6 since the start of the season.

Both teams were also perfect at times last week. Alabama’s Lilly Hudson scored a perfect 10 on vault while Kentucky’s Makenzie Wilson and Raena Worley scored perfect 10’s on vault and floor respectively. Raena is also ranked third in the all around and right behind her is Alabama’s Luisa Blanco who is ranked fourth. From a team and individual perspective, it’s really anyone’s to win!

This week’s meet is Alabama’s Be the Change Meet, which is inspired by the statement “Be the Change You Want to See in the World.”

Here we go!

Rotation 1: Alabama Vault, Kentucky Bars

Gladieux (Bama) VT: Huge Yurchenko full to start with a stuck landing! 9.875

Rodriguez (UK) UB: Tkatchev to bail handstand, nice last handstand to a double layout with a stuck dismount 9.775

LaCoursiere (Bama) VT: Yurchenko 1.5 with under rotation and a large step back and outside of line. 9.725

Riegert (UK) UB: Huge Jaeger to bail handstand – hand slip on bail handstand to bent arms – but stuck with it, double layout to a step forward. 9.700

Hudson (Bama) VT: Yurchenko 1.5 with a large hop forward. 9.850

Rizo (UK): First handstand a little short, Jaeger, overshoot, double layout with step. 9.750

Blanco (Bama): Yurchenko 1.5. Nice one with only a slight shuffle forward. 9.875

Procasky (UK): Maloney to Pak nice, double layout with stuck dismount. Nice handstands throughout. 9.875

Sears (Bama): Huge Yurchenko full, flairs down and a stuck landing. 9.900

Bunn (UK): Blind to Jaeger is great, overshoot handstand, double layout. 9.875

Adams (Bama): Yurchenko 1.5 and almost sits it down with couple steps back. 9.500

Worley (UK): Clear hip to Tkatchev, Pak, full twisting double back dismount to a stuck landing.  Lovely. 9.950

After 1: Alabama 49.225, Kentucky 49.225 

Nice start for Kentucky on bars with a number of stuck landings and only one uncharacteristic miss. Kentucky heads to vault next where it is ranked #1 in the country. Alabama had an okay start on vault with a couple of larger steps than normal. We’re tied after one!

Rotation 2: Kentucky Vault, Alabama Bars

Rodriguez (UK) VT: Yurchekno full to start with a step back on the landing. 9.775

LaCoursiere (Bama) UB: Maloney to pak, a little over in the handstand on low bar and leg separation on the van Leeuwan, large step back on the landing. 9.750

Rizo (UK) VT: Nice Yurchenko full with only a slight shuffle back. 9.850

Pawlak (Bama): Maloney to clear hip to bail handstand is solid, double layout with a stuck landing. 9.875

Patterson (UK): Front handspring front pike half to a stuck landing. Gorgeous! 9.900

Machado (Bama): Pak solid, toe to van Leeuwen, toe full double back. Nice. 9.900

Magnelli (UK) Front handspring front pike half to a slight shuffle on the landing. Huge vault. 9.875

Adams (Bama): Maloney to Pak, over on the pirouette handstand but sticks with it and keeps the routine going. Double back dismount. 9.725

Worley (UK): Yurchenko 1.5 with a step back on the landing. 9.850

Doggette (Bama): Tkachev to Pak is huge, double layout with a hop on the landing. 9.850

Wilson (UK): Front handspring front pike half to a stuck landing! Could it be perfect two meets in a row? 9.950

Blanco (Bama): Maloney to pak is lovely, great handstands, full twisting double back dismount to slight shuffle and arm wave. Beautiful routine. 9.875

After 2: Kentucky 98.650, Alabama 98.475

Kentucky is in the lead after two rotations after an excellent vault rotation capped off with a stick from Makenzie Wilson. Alabama’s bar rotation had mixed results with a couple of larger errors than normal, but it also had great routines with stuck landings.

Rotation 3: Alabama Beam, Kentucky Floor

Gladieux (Bama) BB: BHS BLO solid, full turn, front aerial to beat jump, switch leap to split leap, round off double full dismount to a stuck landing. Great start for the Crimson Tide! 9.875

Rodriguez (UK) FX: Opens with punch front double full to a little messy of a landing with step to the side, double back second pass with good landing, ends with back 1.5 full to front half to split jump. 9.850

Waligora (Bama) BB: BHS LOSO, side aerial, split jump to tuck full jump, dismounts with back 1.5 full to stuck landing. Another good one. 9.875

Procasky (UK) FX: Punch front layout to front full nice, solid leap series, double back last pass to a step forward. 9.850

Burgess (Bama) BB: Full turn, one arm BHS LOSO, side aerial, switch leap to beat jump solid, cat leap to switch side nice, dismounts with gainer pike to an almost stick. 9.875

Patterson (UK) FX:  Back 1.5 to punch front pike to huge shishanova. Ends with double back that’s under rotated with a big step forward.9.875

Hudson (Bama) BB: Front aerial to BHS solid, full turn, switch leap, switch leap, dismounts with back 1.5 to a good landing. 9.825

Davis (UK): FX: Double pike, switch side half, straddle half, back 1.5 to front layout, closes with double tuck. Nice routine. 9.900

Adams (Bama) BB: Opens with double wolf turn. Front aerial to slight wobble. BHS LOSO to a fall, switch leap to split jump. BHS 1.5 dismount to stuck landing. 9.200

Brose (UK) FX: Opens with huge double pike, tour jete, wolf jump, front full to front layout, ends with front double full. Fun routine! 9.900

Blanco (Bama) BB: Sold front aerial, beautiful full turn, BHS LOSO to a wobble and grabs the beam, switch leap to switch half, dismounts with back 1.5 to a stuck landing. 9.650

Worley (UK) FX: Huge tuck full in to open, switch ring to switch side, second pass is front full to front layout to great landing, last pass is double tuck to a great controlled landing. Wow! Great routine. It’s a 10!!

After 3: Kentucky 148.175, Alabama 147.575

Alabama started off its beam rotation with four solid routines but ended with a couple major erros including a fall. Kentucky had an excellent floor rotation with the scores increasing with each routine and ending with a perfect 10 for Raena Worley. Worley is perfect two weeks in a row and for the first time at an away meet.

Rotation 4: Kentucky Beam, Alabama Floor

Rodriguez (UK) BB: Switch leap to split jump, BHS BHS LOSO solid, full turn, side somi solid, round off back 1.5 to stuck landing. Kudos to the freshman for a solid meet and leading off on each event. 9.875

Waligora (Bama) FX: Opens with punch front layout to double full, nice leap series, closes with back 1.5 full to floaty front layout. Great routine – especially for stepping in last minute. 9.850

Brose (UK) BB: Huge front tuck, series is solid, full turn, roundoff back 1.5 full to step back. 9.800

Machado (Bama) FX: Opens with double back tuck to great landing, gorgeous triple wolf turn to double wolf turn, back 1.5 full to punch front layout, switch leap to switch half. Nice routine. 9.900

Bunn (UK) BB: Full turn, BHS LOSO LOSO to a fall, switch leap to split jump, round off to double full dismount with a hop. 9.150

Sears (Bama) FX: Opens with double layout to a short landing, switch ring leap series is solid, front tuck through to double back to large lunge back. 9.825

Patterson (UK) BB: Big routine for UK after the fall. Full turn, BHS LOSO is solid, front aerial to split jump, cat leap to switch side, gainer pike dismount to hop back. Good routine after the fall! 9.875

Gladieux (Bama) FX: Opens with open a huge full twisting double back with leg up on landing, solid leap series, punch front layout to rudi to split leap. Replay shows she went out of bounds on first pass. 9.775

Worley (UK) BB:  Cat leap to switch side, front aerial to BHS LOSO solid, full turn, dismounts with back 1.5 to stuck landing. Awesome routine! 9.950

Blanco (Bama) FX: Double wolf turn, opens with huge double pike, second pass double tuck is solid, closes with back 1.5 full to a punch front layout. Great routine. 9.950

Magnelli (UK) BB: A hit routine will guarantee a win. BHS LOSO LOSO, switch leap to switch side solid, front aerial, full turn to slight wobble, gainer dismount to stuck landing. 9.925

Hudson (Bama) FX: Opens with front layout to double full with a great landing, switch half, wolf full, closes with double back to a short landing a big step forward. 9.900

FINAL: Kentucky 197.600, Alabama 196.975 

Kentucky takes home its first road win at Alabama in program history! The Wildcats had a great meet tonight and were able to drop a fall on beam to ensure the win. Worley dominated by winning three events and the all around. The Crimson Tide counted two major errors in the beam rotation which ultimately led to the loss. It was good to see a great floor rotation from the Crimson Tide after the misses on beam.

VT: Wilson (UK), 9.950
UB: Worley (UK), 9.950
BB: Worley (UK), 9.950
FX: Worley (UK), 9.950
AA: Worley (UK), 39.750

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Live blog by Jackie Craig

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