The Million Dollar Band typically reserves “Rammer Jammer” for football and basketball games. After Alabama gymnastics’ convincing win over one of the top teams in the country, it just seemed too appropriate to pass up.
The No. 6 Crimson Tide turned in its best performance of the young season, defeating the No. 3 Florida Gators 197.725 – 196.900 in a meet the Tide controlled from the start. Alabama swept all four events, posting season highs on three, to improve to 3-0-0 in SEC competition and 6-0-0 overall.
“Tonight was a huge confidence boost for us,” senior Ashley Priess said. “We came out here ready to light the fire and see that spark in our team, and I think we proved to ourselves what a great team we are and how much potential we have for the rest of the season.”
The Tide’s score of 197.725 was the second-highest team score in the nation and the highest for Alabama since 2004. It came at the perfect time for an Alabama team that head coach Sarah Patterson felt hadn’t performed to its fullest potential through its first three meets.
“We’ve been pushed to the wire the past two meets. We just hadn’t been at our best,” Patterson said. “Now what these ladies will know is what they’re capable of.”
Alabama got off to a hot start on the vault, scoring a 49.600 – the Tide’s highest vault total since the 2005 NCAA Super 6. Sophomore Diandra Milliner scored Alabama’s second perfect 10.0 of the season to finish the rotation.
“It was pretty great,” Milliner said. “We’ve had a great two weeks of practice, and on any given night, anybody in our lineup can score at least a 9.9, and it was just a good one tonight.”
Priess won the all-around, posting a 39.55 in her first meet competing in all four events this year. Junior Ashley Sledge also competed in the all-around, scoring the second highest all-around score of the meet, a 39.450.
“We just came out here and just kept telling each other, ‘We just want to see the spark tonight. Tonight’s our night to really shine and show everyone what we’re made of and show everybody how good we are,’” Priess said. “I think everybody came in with this attitude.”
The win came just a year after the Gators handed the Tide its only loss of the 2011 season. According to senior Geralen Stack-Eaton, the key was focusing on what the Tide was doing, instead of watching the Gators.
“We were believing in one another,” Stack-Eaton said. “We could feel the energy and just how much we wanted each other to succeed. We didn’t focus on Florida, what they were doing. We just stayed within ourselves.”
The meet will be replayed Tuesday night at 6 p.m. on CSS.
Alabama will go back on the road next week, heading to Lexington to face the Kentucky Wildcats.
