Saturday, February 19, 2011

No. 1 Florida Gymnastics Team Defeats Auburn in Home Finale

Even pulling its punches a bit, the top-ranked UF gymnastics team still delivered a KO.

The Gators defeated No. 22 Auburn 196.850-194.950 in Florida’s last home meet of the season. UF (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) continued to prove its No. 1 ranking with another impressive performance.
Despite pulling Mackenzie Caquatto, AshanĂ©e Dickerson and Alaina Johnson from all-around duty to give them a break from performing in four events, the Gators were just shy of cracking 197 for the fourth time this season. 
Florida Event Winners Friday
Vault
Marissa King
9.95
Uneven Bars
Mackenzie Caquatto
9.90
Balance Beam
Mackenzie Caquatto
9.875

Ashanée Dickerson
9.875
Floor Exercise
Maranda Smith
9.90
“We knew tonight was going to be an opportunity to rest quite a few of our heavy hitters,” UF coach Rhonda Faehn said. “The team really showed that we do have a lot of depth, but we’re working on getting more faces out there on the competition floor so that we’re able to continue to rest of some of the athletes that we feel we really need to pace to be fresh at the end of the season.”
It marked the first time since March 11, 2007 at Boise State that UF didn’t have an all-arounder in its lineup.
Last week in Athens, Ga., Johnson posted the nation’s top all-around score of 39.675, with Dickerson (39.575) and Caquatto (39.475) following close behind. The trio did its part to contribute to the nation’s highest team score this season, 197.725.
Six-thousand-plus fans came out to cheer the home team on Senior Night. Alicia Goodwin and sixth-year senior Maranda Smith were honored after the meet. UF averaged 6,127 fans at home this season — third-highest in school history. 
Fan interest in Gator gymnastics has grown tremendously since the arrival of Rhonda Faehn for the 2003 season. Four of the program’s top five season attendance averages have come since 2008.
Year
Home Attend. Avg.
1989
6,455
2008
6,358
2011
6,127
2010
5,818
2009
5,704
 “It’s just fun to have a lot of people come support us,” Smith said. “They’re just so loving here. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind crowd.”
It wasn’t the same as last week’s record-setting pace, but the Gators were impressive nonetheless. Dali Lemezan opened the meet with a vault mark of  9.775 and each gymnast thereafter continued to improve—the rest of the rotation’s scores read 9.8, 9.825, 9.85, 9.875, 9.9, and ended with a collegiate-best 9.95 by sophomore Marissa King. The mark gave King the first vault title of her Gator career.
The Tigers (2-5, 2-4 SEC) meanwhile, started out slow from the gates with a 48.650 on uneven bars.
Nicole Ellis posted a career-high 9.85 as the lead gymnast on bars for Florida. Goodwin also scored a 9.85.
“Not again in the O Dome,” Goodwin said. “It’s kind of sad, but we’ve got five, six more meets, so I’m looking forward to those and having strong performances there too.”
Caquatto, who has come into her own over the last month, posted an event-high 9.9 to take her second bar win of 2011. Even with a string of strong — yet not outstanding — scores, UF finished on bars with a 49.3 and a secure margin of victory.
While Auburn’s performance on vault and floor exercise was improved from its opening event, it couldn’t catch UF.
Today’s  meet airs Sunday, Feb. 27 at 8:30 a.m. on SUN Sports
Florida scored a 49.2 on balance beam behind consistent scores from Randy Stageberg’s 9.8 to Dickerson’s 9.875. Caquatto also scored a 9.875; and Goodwin anchored the beam lineup with a 9.825. The event title was shared by Dickerson, Caquatto and Auburn’s Kylie Shields at 9.875.
UF used some new faces in its floor lineup, including freshman Lauren Rose, who posted a solid 9.80 in her debut performance.
“It felt really great,” Rose said of her floor performance. “Every minute of it was just really fun.”
Smith, in her last floor routine in the O’Connell Center, turned in a 9.9. Immediately following her routine, the whole team huddled around Smith, who said she was in tears before her routine—tears she used as motivation.
“I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said. “It was all just about enjoying it and soaking up every pose, dance, smile, finish.”
The mark gave Smith her first floor win of 2011 and the fifth of her Gator career.
The Gators finished floor with a 48.975 — the first time since Jan. 21 at LSU that Florida finished an event with less than 49 points.
“We always want the big score, we want our best athletes out there all the time, however, you have to set that aside, look at what’s best for the team and what’s best for the long run and not about the instant satisfaction of a score,” Faehn said.
Caquatto pointed out the celebration for the win will last through dinner. The Gators travel to Morgantown, W.Va., tomorrow to face off against the Mountaineers, New Hampshire and George Washington.