Florida sophomore Leanne Wong had another impressive performance against the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks.
Wong scored two 10s in a single meet for the second time this season. Her all-around score of 39.775 helped lead the Florida Gators’ gymnastics team to another victory.
The undefeated No. 2 Gators (7-0, 4-0 SEC) hit the road Friday to take on Arkansas (2-3, 1-3 SEC) inside Bud Walton Arena. Florida came into the meet favored after its impressive finish against the No. 17 Georgia Bulldogs, and the team lived up to its expectations.
The Gators finished with a score of 197.875, edging out the Razorbacks, who finished with a score of 197.275. UF won three of the four events and put on a show for the crowd in Fayetteville.
Florida dominated on uneven bars in the first rotation. Wong and freshman Kayla DiCello earned the top scores of 10.0 and 9.975, respectively.
The Gators gained momentum heading into the second rotation, the vault. Senior Payton Richards scored an event-high 9.925.
Florida continued to dominate as it moved to the third rotation, the floor. Thomas shined — a week removed from her record-making gym slam — and scored a 9.950, tying with Arkansas freshman Lauren Williams.
The Gators finished their night on the balance beam, securing first and second place. Wong scored another 10.0, and DiCello followed closely behind with a 9.950.
Wong excelled in the beam and bars, scoring a 10.0 in each event. She earned her third and fourth 10s of the season. Wong’s all-around score was the highest of the meet.
The Gators witnessed the season debut of sophomore Riley McCusker. She earned a 9.650 in uneven bars in her first appearance.
Florida’s next meet will be against the Missouri Tigers. The teams will face off at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The match will be broadcast on SEC Network.
Contact Jori Rzepecki at jrzepecki@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @jorirzepecki.
Jori Rzepecki is a first-year journalism major and the Gymnastics reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching television shows and reading books.
