The No. 4 Alabama gymnastics team won its first quad meet of the season on Saturday at Penn State’s Rec Hall. It scored a 197.300, marking its third consecutive 197+ score, while No. 13 Denver scored a 196.350, Penn State scored a 195.100 and Cornell scored a 191.500.
“Our word for the week was adaptability and we certainly were that today,” coach Dana Duckworth said. “We made so many adjustments and changeups in our lineup. To do that and come away with 197.3 says so much about the character of this team. I am so proud of them.”
The Crimson Tide started off strong on the uneven bars. It scored a 49.6, which ties the nation-leading score set by No. 1 Oklahoma and is the third highest uneven bars’ score in school history.
Junior Keely McNeer led off for Alabama with a 9.825 and was followed by senior Lauren Beers with a 9.85. The next four Alabama gymnastics knocked out a score of 9.9 or higher.
Freshman Ari Guerra and junior Amanda Jetter posted 9.9. Last but not least, sophomores Kiana Winston and Mackenzie Brannan scored a pair of 9.975s. Winston and Brannan are now the ninth and 10th Alabama gymnasts who have scored above a 9.95.
On the balance beam, Winston and McNeer led the way, each scoring a 9.875. Senior Carley Sims, having not competed since Alabama’s first meet against UCLA due to an ankle injury, competed on the balance beam and scored a 9.8.
Alabama finished with a 49.2 overall on the balance beam before transiting over to the floor exercise where it scored a 49.3, led by Beers who knocked out a 9.925.
Going into its final rotation on the vault, Alabama held a 0.9-point lead over the three other teams. The Crimson Tide finished out the meet with a 49.2, paced by Brannan’s 9.875.
Alabama has now finished with 12 consecutive rotations in which it scored a 49.2 or higher.
Up next for the Crimson Tide is Friday’s senior night against Georgia at 7:30 p.m.
