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The Gators rolled up to the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center
prepared to defend their conference title, but in lieu of small
mistakes, mild sicknesses and pestering injuries, they fell
short.
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No. 1 Florida was edged out of the Southeastern Conference
Championship by Alabama, as the Tide scored a 197.225 to UF’s
196.975.
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The top-ranked Gators kicked off the meet with a phenomenal warm-up
with aggressive performances on bars, but the competition went
south when the team entered its beam and floor routines.
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“When we went over to beam it just seemed like the athletes got
really tight and had some uncharacteristic wobbles that we normally
don’t have,” said coach Rhonda Faehn, recently named SEC Coach of
the Year.
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Freshman Mackenzie Caquatto, a usual beam star, had to sit out due
to a rolled ankle from practice last week, while sophomore Ashanée
Dickerson, who was feeling under the weather throughout the
competition, posted a 9.65.
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“Poor ‘Nay,” Faehn said. “Coming off the bus, she had flu-like
symptoms. She felt like she was going to throw up pretty much most
of the night.”
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Dickerson stuck it out and competed in all four events, joining
freshman Alaina Johnson in the all around.
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Although the beam lineup was short of Caquatto, who Faehn said is
the team’s top beamer, senior Alicia Goodwin stepped up to round
out and scored a 9.9 — the best of her college career.
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However, the Gators failed to push through on floor exercise,
mainly through landing mistakes on tumbling passes.
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Senior Maranda Smith and Johnson did come through for the Gators
with their performances, each earning a 9.9.
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Johnson’s combined scores earned her the second place in the all
around competition, as well as being named SEC Freshman of the
Year.
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The freshman said she loved every minute of the meet, but that in
the end it was the little flaws that held the Gators back.
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“Everything counts,” she said. “We just weren’t quite as aggressive
as we should’ve been. Even though we got second, that just makes us
want to work harder in the gym and focus on every detail and every
thing up for Nationals.”
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With a week off before the NCAA National Championships, Faehn said
she’s focused on getting her athletes back in the gym and getting
their bodies healthy again.
