It’s another exciting night for gymnastics! In fact, it’s my favorite night of the week featuring the best series in sports…FRIDAY NIGHT HEIGHTS. We’ve got a top-20 matchup, starring the Georgia Bulldogs and the Kentucky Wildcats, two teams that have been showing this season to be potential top competitors in the SEC.
The Bulldogs have had a rough start to the season as they’ve battled many injuries, leaving the team a little depleted. Most notable are season-ending injuries to freshman Kelsey Lee and fifth-years Haley de Jong and Vanessa Deniz. It looked as if the Bulldogs may have to dig for some depth within the lineups, especially on vault where it was unclear if they could put up six vaults. However, Georgia found some magic within and had a phenomenal meet last weekend. The Bulldogs not only managed to put up strong lineups on every event but also put up a season-high 197.050. And let’s not forget freshman Lily Smith’s gorgeous bar routine that notched a 10.0, the first of many in her collegiate career. This was the best showing coming out of week 3 the Bulldogs have had since 2020. It seems like the Bulldogs are starting to hit their stride and we’re beginning to see the Georgia gymnastics we all know and love. I’m excited to see how the Bulldogs build off of last week tonight!
The Kentucky Wildcats have been on fire this season and do not look like they’re backing down any time soon. The Wildcats have emerged as somewhat of a threat in the SEC, and honestly the NCAA as a whole after ranking seventh nationally going into this week. The queen Raena Worley did her thing, per usual, but the Wildcat freshman class, most specifically Delaynee Rodriguez, Creslyn Brose, and Cadence Gormley have been key in adding depth to these lineups and helping Kentucky continue with the momentum that’s been building since this past postseason. I love seeing freshmen break into the lineups early in the season and be so solid and consistent for a team. Kentucky had a strong showing at LSU with a 197.600. I think the Wildcats could’ve broken 198.000 given they had their usually fabulous beam rotation. So with that being said, I am on 198 watch for this Kentucky team this week…I can sense it coming.
Week three was great for both teams so let’s see what week four brings. Plus it’s at Rupp Arena and meets at Rupp are usually exciting to watch, I’m sure this one will be no different. So grab a seat and let’s watch some fun SEC gymnastics!
Rotation 1: Kentucky VT, Georgia UB
Rodriguez (UK): Yurchenko full, chest a little low on landing. 9.725
Fitzgerald (UGA): Tkatchev to bail, solid. Strong and aggressive throughout. Nice double layout, small hop forward. 9.750
Rizo (UK): Yurchenko full, slightly off to the side. 9.850
Wahl (UGA): Nice Maloney to pak. Handstands a little short on low bar. Pretty double layout, small hop backwards. 9.750
Patterson (UK): Fhs front pike half, anticipates the stick and takes a small step. 9.875
Snyder (UGA): We have a collegiate debut on deck! Pretty handstands throughout. Aggressive Ray to pak. STUCK double layout dismount. 9.85
Magnelli (UK): Yurchenko full, stuck. 9.925
Finnegan (UGA): I looked down for two seconds and have no idea what happened…oopsy. 9.725
Worley (UK): BEAUTIFUL Yurchenko 1.5, steps forward on landing. 9.900
Scott (UGA): Ray to Pak, beautiful. Nice Maloney. Incredible handstand save oh my goodness. Huge tucked full-in, small step. 9.775
Wilson (UK): A fantastic fhs front pike half. AND ITS A 10!
Smith (UGA): Toe-on Shaposh to bail. Beautiful lines and handstands. Tucked full-in, steps forward. 9.85
After 1: Kentucky 49.550 Georgia 48.975
Georgia had a few lineup changes but overall looked good. The Bulldogs weren’t quite getting the landings like they did last week but it was a solid rotation given the adversity they had to overcome. The Wildcats came out super strong on vault. MAKENZIE WILSON!!!! That was a fantastic vault from the junior, love to see her earn a home 10.0.
Rotation 2: Kentucky UB, Georgia VT
Laclair (UGA): Yurchenko full, small hop. 9.775
Rodriguez (UK): Nice Tkachev. Bail to handstand. Nice stuck double layout. A fantastic routine for the leadoff freshman. 9.850
Smith (UGA): ANOTHER DEBUT WHOOP WHOOP! Yurchenko full, really floaty and pretty in the air. 9.800
Riegert (UK): Straddled Jaeger, little off rhythm. Pretty bail. Another stuck double layout for the Wildcats. 9.850
Scott (UGA): Aggressive Yurchenko full, fairly large hop backwards. 9.775
Rizo (UK): Nice straddled Jaeger. Bail to handstand, solid. Aggressive throughout. Double layout, small step forward. 9.775
Finnegan (UGA): A beautiful Yurchenko 1.5, drills it. 9.850
Prokasky (UK): Maloney to Pak, stunning. Nicely held positions in handstands and pirouettes. Huge double layout, stuck. 9.900
Wahl (UGA): A beautiful stuck Yurchenko 1.5. 9.925
Bunn (UK): Beautiful lines and handstands. Nice 9.875
Battle (UGA): Yurchenko 1.5, slightly large hop forward. 9.775
Worley (UK): Nice Tkachev. Clean Pak. Pretty lines throughout. Double layout, fights for the stick but takes a small hop forward. 9.850
After 2: Kentucky 98.875 Georgia 98.100
The Bulldogs have been experiencing some adversity throughout this meet due to illnesses and injuries that have required some lineup changes, like I previously mentioned. They’ve been resilient and had a nice vault rotation. I’m so glad to see the Bulldogs able to put up 6 vaults, and they were fantastic. With some landings and form in the air cleaned up, Georgia looks to have a really strong vault lineup for the rest of the season. The Wildcats are having a day in Rupp Arena. They look on track to post a season-high tonight and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Rotation 3: Kentucky BB, Georgia FX
Rodriguez (UK): Switch leap split jump, pretty lines. Ahhhh a beautiful triple series from the freshman. Pretty full turn. Side somi, slightly off but basically unnoticeable. Nice front full, stuck. 9.900
Williams (UGA): Ro bhs 1.5, slightly out of bounds. Pretty leaps. Fhs front full front layout, misses her punch and loses her footing a little on the landing. Ro bhs double back, nice stuck landing. 9.575
Brose (UK): Pretty front tuck. Front toss bhs, solid but small arm movement. Nice switch leap series. Full turn, small balance check. Ro 1.5, small step but pretty. 9.850
Fitzgerald (UGA): Rudi to back layout stepout, a little off center but pretty. Switch leap to Shushunova, nice lines. Ro bhs double back, stuck. Love the throwback 2000s music for her floor music. 9.800
Bunn (UK): Pretty full turn. Bhs loso loso, absolutely nailed it…no major wobbles this week haha. Switch leap split jump, nice lines. Ro double full, STUCK. I love love love a redemption routine. Have yourself a day Bailey Bunn:) 9.900
Laclair (UGA): Front full through to bhs 1.5, solid. Switch side to wolf full. Rudi to back layout step-out. 9.875
Patterson (UK): Bhs loso, pretty but looked a little nervous. Front aerial beat jump. Cat leap straddle 1/4, pretty lines but small wobble. Front gainer pike, stuck. 9.825
Wahl (UGA): Huge tucked full-in to open. Switch half split full, nice lines. Front through to bhs double back, stuck. She’s really coming into her own at Georgia and I love it. 9.875
Worley (UK): She has the coolest choreography ah! Front aerial bhs loso, beautiful. Pretty full turn. Beautiful leaps. Ro double full, small step. 9.850
Smith (UGA): Fhs front full front layout, absolutely beautiful. Switch leap switch half, pretty lines and posture. Fhs rudi straddle jump, stunning throughout. 9.900
Magnelli (UK): Bhs loso loso, solid but small knee bend. Nice leaps and lines. Front aerial, pretty. Front gainer pike, small step. 9.925
Battle (UGA): An unfortunate fall on the first pass, twisted a little too soon and seemed like she lost her spot. Switch leap Popa, nice height. Nice high double back to close out the Bulldogs on floor. 8.975
After 3: Kentucky 148.300 Georgia 147.125
Georgia had an okay floor rotation, some things were great and some things weren’t. Like I said earlier, with a little work on landings the Bulldogs will be fantastic. Kentucky had a lights-out beam rotation. The Wildcats still look on pace for a season-high. This last rotation is an area both teams shine on, excited to see what’s left!
Rotation 4: Kentucky FX, Georgia BB
Wahl (UGA): Bhs bhs loso, nice and steady. Pretty full turn. Nice side somi. Nice extension in her leaps. Ro 1.5, stuck. 9.775
Rodriguez (UK): Fhs double full, nice and pretty. Pretty leaps. Closes out with a nice ro bhs double back (I think, I carried away watching her routine). 9.850
Morgan (UGA): Nice full turn. Bhs loso, made it look easy Switch leap split half, small balance check. Ro 1.5, stuck. 9.900
Magnelli (UK): Punch front full front layout, pretty. Switch side straddle half, beautiful extension. Finishes with a high ro bhs double pike. 9.850
Battle (UGA): Front toss, picks leg up but great save. Pretty leaps. Bhs loso, small balance check. Bhs gainer full, small step. She fought through that routine but finished strong. 9.650
Patterson (UK): Fhs Rudi front layout Shushunova, what a cool pass! I totally forgot to write down the rest of her routine but it was fantastic! 9.925
Turner (UGA): Nice full turn. Bhs loso loso, and we have another victim of the triple series and she comes off 🙁 Beautiful lines in leaps. Ro 1.5, small step. 9.025
Davis (UK): Fhs front full front layout, nice and high. Ro bhs double back, stuck. I always love this routine as its a tribute to her late father and its a fantastic rock compilation if I do say so myself. 9.900
Smith (UGA): Front layout bhs bhs, small connection break. Switch leap split leap, pretty lines. Piked front toss, little off balance. Pretty dismount. 9.425
Brose (UK): Opens with a huge ro bhs double pike. Switch leap wolf full, nice height and posture. Ro bhs 1.5 front full, stuck. Finishes with a beautiful fhs double full. 9.975
Scott (UGA): Nice lines and height in series. Switch leap split leap, nice extension. Love her on-the-beam choreography and the incorporation of the iconic moonwalk. Nice ro 1.5 to close out the Bulldogs tonight. 9.825
Worley (UK): Opens with a huge ro bhs double pike. Beautiful leaps as always. Fhs front full front layout, nice height and landing. Ro bhs double back, she made that look SO easy. She FINALLY gets a well-deserved 10.0.
FINAL: Kentucky 197.950 Georgia 195.650
While Georgia didn’t have as great of a meet as last week, the Bulldogs recovered well and finished strong. The Bulldogs showed promise the past few weeks and I have hope they can keep the momentum and continue to improve to get back into the high 196-low 197 range. The future is bright for Georgia in my opinion. Kentucky had a phenomenal meet. On the 50th anniversary of Kentucky’s gymnastics program, the Wildcats made even more history as Makenzie Wilson and Raena Worley earned their first career 10.0s. Scoring just under the sought-after 198, the Wildcats will surely be hungry for that big score in the next few weeks.
VT: Makenzie Wilson (UK): 10.000
UB: Jillian Procasky (UK): 9.900
BB: Isabella Magnelli (UK): 9.925
FX: Raena Worley (UK): 10.000
AA: Raena Worley (UK): 39.600
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Live blog by Jessica Brock
