The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team narrowly lost to the Georgia Bulldogs in a close meet, despite showing improvement in their overall score. The team struggled on the balance beam in the final rotation, ultimately costing them the victory. While Alabama had some strong performances, including a high score on the floor exercise, they need to consistently perform at a higher level to compete with the top teams in the SEC.
Alabama gymnastics coach Ashley Johnston sought a robust response from her squad Friday night against Georgia following a challenging stretch in the previous two meets. While the No. 14 Crimson Tide did elevate their overall score, it proved insufficient on the road against the No. 12 Bulldogs, who secured a 196.975-196.575 victory. The meet remained tightly contested throughout, with the home team holding a slender tenth lead entering the final rotation.
As the visiting team, Alabama concluded on the balance beam, experiencing their lowest rotation of the night and their third-worst performance of the season. Despite avoiding any falls, several gymnasts encountered significant balance checks, resulting in substantial deductions and an overall score of 49.025 on the apparatus.For the second consecutive week, Alabama's sole routine to surpass 9.9 points was Gabby Gladieux's floor exercise in the anchor position. Relying solely on one 9.9 score is unlikely to yield victories in the competitive SEC, as the Crimson Tide has now suffered three consecutive conference meet losses. Alabama initially maintained a slight lead halfway through the competition following a solid, albeit not exceptional, performance on both the uneven bars and vault. The Tide remained relatively error-free until the final rotation, but struggled to achieve stuck landings consistently throughout the night. Georgia surged ahead after the third rotation with a powerful 49.425 on the balance beam. Alabama countered with its best rotation of the night in the third rotation, posting a 49.275 on the floor exercise, its highest floor score since the season opener. Chloe LaCoursiere made her debut in the floor lineup and all-around, earning a 9.85 on floor. Gladieux (9.9) spearheaded the effort with her fourth consecutive score of 9.9 or higher on the floor this season.Overall, the 196.575 marked Alabama's highest score since the 197.025 in the season opener, but Johnston still yearns for greater output from her team. The Crimson Tide has yet to come close to realizing its full potential. With Oklahoma's entry into the SEC this season, one of the conference's nine gymnastics teams will be excluded from the SEC championship meet in Birmingham. The selection will not be determined by league standings, but by National Qualifying Score (NQS). Currently, Alabama occupies the last position regardless of the criteria and requires a significant improvement in future meets to avoid jeopardizing its qualification for the conference championship.
ALABAMA GYMNASTICS GEORGIA GYMNASTICS SEC GYMNASTICS COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
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