Meet Preview: After Loss To LSU, Florida Returns Home vs. West Virginia

Meet Preview: After Loss To LSU, Florida Returns Home vs. West Virginia

The No. 3 Gators close 2017 regular-season home Friday, March 10 with a dual meet with No. 22 West Virginia. Meet time is set for 6:45 PM at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

Mar 8, 2017 by Lauren Lowitt
Meet Preview: After Loss To LSU, Florida Returns Home vs. West Virginia
A week after falling short of a conference title, the No. 3 Florida gymnastics team is looking to close the regular season on a high note against No. 22 West Virginia at home on Friday, March 10 at 6:45 PM ET.

The host Gators are coming off their lowest score of the season -- a 196.60 -- in their loss at No. 2 LSU on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers are hoping to rebound after dropping their final home meet of the season against George Washington and Eastern Michigan. Despite the pair of losses, West Virginia showed signs of life with a season-high 49.375 on floor exercise that saw all six competing gymnasts earn a career- or season-best score on floor.

Friday's meet holds special meaning for Florida, which will be honoring its lone senior, Claire Boyce. Last year, Florida's senior send-off meet ended with Bridget Sloan getting a perfect 10.0 on floor exercise. Let's hope this year will be just as memorable.

Recap UF vs. LSU:
LSU secured the 2017 Southeastern Conference regular-season gymnastics title after its 198.15-196.60 win over Florida last Sunday.

Junior Kennedy Baker led the Gators on the uneven bars, hitting her collegiate high of 9.90 for the third time this season. Throughout the bars rotation, though, the Gators were forced to count a fall, many breaks, and extra steps. Moving onto vault, UF junior Alex McMurtry received a 10.0 as well as Ashleigh Gnat of LSU. It was McMurtry's first 10.0 on the event of the season and Gnat's second. Vault was the Gators' high event total of the meet with a score of 49.375. On beam, Florida didn't have its cleanest performance, but McMurtry anchored the lineup with a team-high 9.90. On floor exercise, sophomore Alicia Boren's 9.925 led the Gators, but they ended up having to count a fall.

UF head coach Jenny Rowland on the competition:

Today definitely wasn't our best performance by any means. However, I think there is some good that can come out of it. We still have new faces competing who are getting more confident day in and day out. We haven't shown our premier lineup yet...Alex McMurtry did her third all-around of the year. Yes, she struggled a bit on bars but came back super strong on vault with a 10.0. Super proud of this team and what they've accomplished this year.

ICYMI: Watch the two perfect vaults of the night: