In their second trip to the Tar Heel State this season, the Florida Gators boasted a different look but achieved the same result. 

Third-ranked Florida posted a 197.325 to 194.200 win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC, on Friday, January 20, as a pair of Gators entered the lineup in two events for the first time in 2017.

Both UF freshman Maegan Chant and junior Kennedy Baker, who only competed on bars, were rested during Friday's action. Filling in for the duo, freshman Rachel Gowey performed all-around for the first time this season and totaled 39.225, while junior Grace McLaughlin made her first uneven bars appearance with a 9.85 as well as a season high on beam of 9.875.

Florida junior Alex McMurtry won all three events she appeared in, scoring a perfect 9.95 on vault with her stuck Yurchenko full, a 9.95 on balance beam, and a 9.95 on bars. Sophomore Alicia Boren won the floor exercise with a 9.95 as well as all-around with a score of 39.625. The Gators improved to 3-0 to start the season, following last week's home win over Kentucky and a road victory at North Carolina State on January 8.



The meet, which was North Carolina's first at home this season, featured a UNC record-breaking crowd of 4,071 at the Dean Smith Center and was sponsored by #BETRUE Nike campaign, which aims to inspire and encourage LGBTQ athletes across the world. Both teams wore rainbow-colored T-shirts in warmups, and the Tar Heels' gymnasts tossed out shirts to the crowd throughout the meet.

Highlights of the meet

Alicia Boren scored a 9.95 on floor:

Rachel Slocum on vault:

Morgan Lane with a solid performance on balance beam:

Alex McMurtry with a perfect vault:

Thoughts from the meet

On Florida's performance on Friday:
"I feel it was a solid meet. We have some work to do here and there. Landings were a little off, but at the same time to come out with the confidence in each other as a team was great." -- Florida head coach Jenny Rowland

Lots of new faces tonight -- Grace McLaughlin on bars, Amanda Cheney on beam and Rachel Gowey in first all-around. What did you see from their performances Friday?
"Very excited to see that we can put anybody in any spot in the lineup and be confident in their performance. And the team can be confident in their teammate. That really says a lot for this team. It was really good to see Grace [McLaughlin] on bars, [Rachel] Gowey in the all-around and Amanda [Cheney] on beam."

"Gowey did a great job in her first all-around. She has a lot more to give and I can't wait to see her grow as the season progresses." -- Rowland

Up next

Florida hosts its annual Link To Pink Meet against No. 16 Auburn on Friday, January 27, at 6:45 PM at Exactech Arena.


Related:
Complete collection of archived videos from Florida vs. UNC