For the 15th-consecutive time, Florida still reigns supreme over Georgia.
The Gators defeated the Bulldogs 197.600-196.950 Friday night, righting the ship which had taken a wrong turn only a week prior against Alabama. The difference in dedication from the team was evident throughout the week, coach Rhonda Faehn said.
“The three practices we had this week were exceptional,” she said. “The energy level, the commitment from the athletes and the passion and the support of one another was there, and it showed in the competition tonight.”
Led by superb performances from freshmen Kennedy Baker and Alex McMurtry, along with the always-reliable senior Kytra Hunter, the Gators put together their most impressive competition of the year.
Baker scored the highest-ever floor routine by a UF freshman with a 9.975, which was followed by another 9.975 from Hunter, sending the O’Connell Center crowd of just over 7,000 into a deafening frenzy.
Faehn said she asked Baker to show off her personality, and Baker did just that — the enjoyment of the routine was evident on her face.
“I was pretty confident going in but I didn’t think it was gonna be that good,” Baker said. “I thought I had a 10 for second.”
McMurtry continued her impressive run of form by sharing the individual bars title — her first title in the event — with a 9.925, along with a 9.900 on beam and a 9.875 on vault.
In the two events in which Florida struggled most against Alabama — bars and beam — the team showed marked improvements, scoring 49.375s in each. In fact, no Gator gymnast scored lower than a 9.850 on bars.
Hunter said she and her teammates were determined to fix the problems from the previous week, and they realized after the loss how much more they needed to work.
Within minutes of returning to the team hotel in Alabama, Hunter called what would prove to be an emotional team meeting, with players detailing for each other how they each needed to improve.
The difference showed against Georgia.
Hunter took home her fourth-straight all-around title with a score of 39.675 - the highest score in the country entering the weekend.
For Faehn, the win continues her dominance over what was once one of the most feared programs in collegiate gymnastics.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said. “When Jeremy Foley hired me, part of the interview process he had me speak with Mary Wise, and Mary Wise asked me ‘Do you think you can beat Georgia?’ and I said ‘Absolutely - we not only can but we’re going to beat Georgia,’ and she was like ‘Hire this girl!’”
“I just had a firm belief that it was possible.”
Follow Graham Hack on Twitter @graham_hack24
Kennedy Baker performs her floor exercise during Florida's 197.60-196.950 win against Georgia on Friday in the O'Connell Center.
Kytra Hunter performs her floor exercise during Florida's 197.60-196.950 win against Georgia on Friday in the O'Connell Center.
