On Friday, the No. 2 Florida gymnastics team was set up for failure.
The Gators were facing a top-20 opponent in a Southeastern Conference matchup in front of a hostile away crowd.
By the meet’s close, 12 Missouri gymnasts matched or earned new career highs.
The Tigers also accumulated their highest aggregate score since 2010.
However, in spite of it all, the Gators clinched the victory with ease, their season-best road score of 197.750 besting Missouri’s 196.650 en route to their sixth victory of the season.
Trumping an opponent who notched the eighth-highest score in their program’s history is one thing.
To do it in dominating fashion — posting the nation’s then fifth-highest point tally of the 2016 season — is entirely different.
"I think the team did a great job taking an opportunity, (posting) a great road score in an environment of an SEC school that’s ranked in the top-20," coach Jenny Rowland said.
"To be able to do that, I think, was absolutely fabulous."
Contributions poured in from the entire lineup, with Gator gymnasts posting nine total season or collegiate-best scores.
Seniors Bridgette Caquatto and Bridget Sloan led the charge.
Caquatto equaled her personal-best 9.950 on the way to her first uneven bars title of the year, while the Sloan notched a meet-high 9.975 on the floor, clinching the 82nd event championship of her collegiate career.
Similarly, the sophomore tandem of Alex McMurtry and Kennedy Baker made waves.
McMurtry bagged her second consecutive balance beam title, equalling her collegiate-high score of 9.950, while Kennedy Baker became the second Gator in as many weeks to clinch her first all-around title.
With McMurtry’s recent success, the sophomore has started training for her first floor routine of the season, which Rowland said she may perform against LSU on Friday.
"I'm so excited, but I can't say I'm more excited than Alex is," Rowland said.
"We'll see how training goes today. ... We'll see if the plan is a go for Friday."
All of Florida’s statistics against Missouri proved what the team already knew — they are supremely talented and more than equipped to take their fourth consecutive National Championship come April 15.
"These girls have just done a great job week-in and week-out of (preparing for) every meet thus far," Rowland said.
But what’s scarier is that they’ve yet to hit their stride.
"(They) have continually improved upon the little things. There’s still room for improvement, as always, but I think it was really nice to see them actually settle down, settle into their roles, knowing what (and) where they’re going to compete.
"Going into a new environment is always a little difficult, but I think this team is always up for the challenge.
"They rise to the occasion, and they’ll go out and just give it all their best."
Contact Alejandro Lopez at alopez@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @ajlb95.
Bridget Sloan performs on the balance beam during Florida's win against Arkansas on Feb. 12, 2016, in the O'Connell Center.
