Arkansas Downed by Florida in SEC Road Dual
While the No. 13 Gymbacks trailed the No. 6 Florida Gators all night heading into Friday’s fourth rotation, a shaky last event put any sort of comeback out of reach as Arkansas was defeated by Florida, 197.850-196.050.
The Gators outscored the Razorbacks on every event, and despite not earning a 9.900 score until midway through the meet, Arkansas did come away with at least a share of two titles: Frankie Price with a 9.950 for a solo floor victory and Kalyxta Gamiao with a 9.925 on beam, which came in a three-way tie for first.
The meet had 8,823 fans in attendance and was the first regular season gymnastics contest aired on ESPN so far in 2024.
Bars
After a couple of falls last week, Arkansas rebounded nicely on Friday with five of six hit routines. Sophomores Cally Swaney and Jaime Pratt earned matching scores of 9.825 in the second and third spots, while fellow sophomore Reese Drotar got a mark of 9.850 midway through the lineup. Senior Jensen Scalzo got right back on track after a stumble at LSU and delivered a clean routine that scored 9.875 for Arkansas in the fourth position. Freshman Priscilla Park was up fifth and scored 9.800, which was the final counting score for the Gymbacks as a fall came sixth. Arkansas finished bars with an event score of 49.175.
Vault
The vault rotation for Arkansas got better as it went on, as junior Cami Weaver led off with a 9.750, Park got a 9.750, and the next three vaulters for the Hogs – freshman Hailey Klein, junior Leah Smith and Price – all posted 9.800s. Sophomore Lauren Williams closed out the rotation for Arkansas and earned an event high of 9.850, which dropped Weaver’s score and put the Gymbacks at a 49.025 finish on vault.
Floor
Arkansas’ best performance of the night was on floor and Friday was the third meet this season in which the Gymbacks’ highest rotation score came on the event. Rookies Klein and Park posted scores of 9.850 and 9.825, respectively, in the first two spots. Junior Maddie Jones continued her hot streak on the event and earned a 9.875, and was followed by Smith with an 9.850 mark. Williams had another stunner of a routine and went 9.900, which brought up Price to anchor. She had one of her cleanest routines of the season and earned a 9.950, matching her 2024 best and ensured that the Hogs only counted scores of 9.850 or above. The Gymbacks finished floor with a total of 49.425.
Beam
Junior Kalyxta Gamiao continued to prove she is one of the most composed and clean beam lead-offs in the country as she delivered a solid routine capped with a stuck dismount for a 9.925, her second of the season. Jones was up second and unfortunately took a fall, but Williams was cool under pressure midway through the lineup and scored 9.800 to get the Hogs back on track. Weaver posted a 9.825 up fourth, and graduate transfer Sirena Linton went 9.725 in the fifth position. Park unfortunately came off the beam in the sixth spot, but her score of 9.150 did count toward Arkansas’ event total of 48.425.
Up Next
Halfway through a road swing, Arkansas has two meets in three days next week: First, the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas to face Cal, Oklahoma and Washington on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., and another quad meet at Texas Woman’s on Feb. 19 against TWU, Alabama and Arizona on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
More Information
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