University of Missouri
Florida
No. 11 @MizouGym Posts Season-Best 196.450 in Loss to Preseason No. 3 Florida
1/11/2019 9:19:00 PM | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Hannah McCrary (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) tied for the vault title and the No. 11 Mizzou gymnastics team tallied a season-bests on all four events in a 197.300-196.450 loss at preseason No. 3 Florida Friday night in Gainesville, Fla. The Tigers team score of 196.450 was a full point higher than the team posted in the season opener a week ago.
In only her second collegiate meet, McCrary earned a 9.875 to tie for the win on vault to notch her first-career event victory.
KEY PERFORMANCES
A strong start on bars in the opening rotation put the Tigers on the road to success early. The team went 49.125 on the event as five Tigers scored a 9.8 or higher. Senior Madeleine Huber (St. Louis, Mo.) and redshirt junior Morgan Porter (Eagan, Minn.) both led Mizzou with 9.85s and redshirt senior Becca Schugel (Eagan, Minn.) went 9.825. Additionally, junior Aspen Tucker (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) earned a 9.8, as did sophomore Chelsey Christensen (Rapid City, S.D.).
McCrary's 9.875 anchored the second rotation on vault as the team scored a 49.000. Tucker and senior Britney Ward (Ozark, Mo.), who made her 2019 vault lineup debut, both went 9.8s, while Porter earned a 9.775 and Huber a 9.75.
A 49.200 on floor, highlighted from a 9.875 from Tucker, put the Tigers in line for an impressive score with only one rotation left. Senior Allison Bower (Mesa, Ariz.) and McCrary both earned 9.85s, junior Mary Nicholson (North Richland Hills, Texas) went 9.825 and Porter added a 9.8.
Closing the meet on beam, Mizzou responded with a 49.125 to close the night. Only a week after making her beam debut, Nicholson nailed her routine to tally a team-high 9.875 in the second spot in the lineup. Ward closed the meet with a 9.85, while Bower posted a 9.825 and sophomore Gabrielle Gottula (Spring, Texas) went 9.8.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Shannon Welker
"I was pleased with our consistency tonight. We made a nice adjustment on bars and came out much stronger. I was proud of them for getting that back on track and getting us off to a nice strong start. We've really been focusing on coming out and setting the tone and being aggressive on that first apparatus and put some pressure on the other team. Vault was pretty solid tonight, we added in two 10.0 start value vaults tonight, which was a nice step for us. Floor was also really solid, and we finished strong tonight on beam. We were on the road in a tough environment, so I'm pleased with where we are at this point."
UP NEXT
The Tigers open the home portion of their schedule on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. as the team hosts No. 17 Auburn in the Beauty and the Beast at Mizzou Arena.
MIZZOU EVENT WINNERS
Vault – Hannah McCrary (9.875)
Players Mentioned
