Friday night’s gymnastics meet was nearly over from the start, when a perfect 10 from senior Diandra Milliner on vault pushed the Crimson Tide into a lead over the No. 10 Stanford Cardinal that it never relinquished. The first perfect score of Alabama’s season was met with a standing ovation from the Alabama faithful and foreshadowed the team’s performance, even though the Crimson Tide defeated Stanford 198.25 to 196.3 and earned the highest score in school history.
“When we got started on vault, and [junior] Kaitlyn [Clark] led us off and stuck that vault, and four out of the six were without movement, I thought we had a great opportunity,” Alabama coach Sarah Patterson said.
Patterson also said Milliner’s perfect score, the second of her career, was an appropriate milestone for the senior.
“Her team set her up in a great position,” Patterson said. “[Senior] Lauren Beers had a 9.95, and then you add another half-rotation to [Milliner’s] vault, and she sticks it… I thought it was kind of poetic that at the end of her career she finally does get that perfect 10.”
(See also “Milliner vital leader for Alabama gymnastics team“)
Senior Kim Jacob agreed the 10 was a well-earned score from Milliner.
“[Milliner] has definitely deserved that 10 and has worked really hard for it since her freshman year,” Jacob said. “To see her go out there and get that 10, it’s amazing.”
As for Milliner, her summary of the vault was succinct.
“It felt pretty dang good,” Milliner said.
Alabama’s performance featured season-highs in all rotations, even with a lineup full of substitutions. The vault score of 49.625 matched the highest score in the nation this season and fifth highest in Alabama history. Patterson said she made the substitutions to give some athletes rest and prepare the team for the postseason.
“We’re still kind of juggling things around. This is the first time [freshman] Keely McNeer got in on vault for us, and I thought she did a great job,” Patterson said. “Sometimes when [the gymnasts] are so competitive it’s so hard, because all they want to do is be out there. I feel like this is the most important time to make great management decisions for the team.”
(See also “Gymnastics team takes down defending national champion Gators“)
Milliner’s 10 and the team’s dominant performance on vault were bookended by an even stronger showing on floor, where Alabama scored 49.675. The team scored three 9.925s and two 9.5s, including a 9.925 from junior Lora Leigh Frost, competing for only the 2nd time this season.
“That was pretty special,” Patterson said. “I just felt like [Frost] earned it, and she’d done well in practice but I think she needed to get over that hurdle tonight. You could tell by the way she ended her routine that was the best she had ever done.”
Alabama’s performance was nearly perfect, with the only score below 9.825 – a 9.225 after a fall from the balance beam by Milliner – dropped. To Patterson, there’s room for improvement, but this team is in prime position headed into the championship stretch of the season.
“There’s a few handstands we can hit on bars, and there’s a few more landings,” Patterson said. “Right now the thing is maintaining our position. I’d like to have the same performance next week … We continue to improve our difficulty, and that’s going to help us down the road.”
(See also “Alabama gymnastics team turns in best score of season, completes late comeback against Georgia“)
