Recapping The Action: NCAA Gymnastics Week 4

Recapping The Action: NCAA Gymnastics Week 4

Kyla Ross scored the first 10.0 of her career on the uneven bars and Kennedi Edney dazzled for LSU in her her first all-around performance in Week 4 action.

Jan 31, 2017 by Lauren Green
Recapping The Action: NCAA Gymnastics Week 4
Catch up on all the highlights from Week 4 of the NCAA women's gymnastics season, including a pair of 10.0s, an injury update and some steady progress from Georgia and UCLA.

Perfect 10 alert

Kennedy Baker closed out No. 3 Florida's home win over No. 16 Auburn on Friday with her first perfect 10 of the season. It's the second 10.0 of her career on floor exercise with the first coming nearly one year ago to the day (Jan. 29, 2016, versus Alabama). The highlight in this one? Baker's opening piked double Arabian. Not only does she get great height, but also her form in the air is impeccable and the landing was fantastic.

(Video Courtesy of Florida Gators)

Baker wasn't the only 10.0 of the weekend, though.

UCLA freshman Kyla Ross opened up the then-No. 8 Bruins' win against No. 17 Oregon State on Saturday with a perfect 10 on the uneven bars. The 2012 Olympic champion is the first gymnast in the country to score a 10.0 on the apparatus. She showcased perfect handstands throughout her routine and nailed her double layout dismount.

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Near misses

For the second week in a row, a Michigan gymnast came agonizingly close to a perfect score. This week, it was sophomore Olivia Karas, who nailed her 1 1/2-twisting Yurchenko to score a 9.975.



Injury battle

Auburn junior Abby Milliet went down with a knee injury during warm-ups before the Tigers' meet against Florida on Friday night. She was seen on crutches with her right leg in a brace during the broadcast. Milliet did not compete on Friday or Sunday for the Tigers, though the extent of the injury is unknown at this time.

Georgia's Sydney Snead missed the 12th-ranked Gymdogs' meet on Friday night against No. 11 Missouri for precautionary reasons due to a nagging back injury. LSU sophomore McKenna Kelley was slated to exhibition on vault and compete on floor exercise for the No. 2 Tigers on Friday night but suffered an injury during the vault warm-up.

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Kelley later tweeted that she was going to be OK.

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Missouri confirmed that sophomore Morgan Porter will miss the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon tear.

Edney dazzles for Tigers

With teammate Kelley unable to compete on floor, Kennedi Edney jumped in to compete on floor and in the all-around for the first time this season. Edney posted 9.925s on the uneven bars and floor exercise, a 9.825 on vault and a 9.950 to win the balance beam title.

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Edney's floor routine was full of big tumbling and big personality to match.

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Stanford finally starts to rebound

The Cardinal got off to a rough start this season with a pair of scores in the 193 range before cracking 194 in last weekend's dual meet against then-No. 9 Southern Utah. This weekend, Stanford continued progressing and notched a 195.900 to top Arizona for its first win of the season.

The Cardinal have struggled most on floor exercise -- they have counted at least a score of 9.400 or lower on each of Stanford's first three meets. In Sunday's win, the Cardinal only put five gymnasts up, and, with all five scores counting, did not score lower than a 9.775.

Elizabeth Price, who was an alternate on the 2012 Olympic team, had an impressive meet with a 9.900 or better on all three events she competed on.

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UCLA, Georgia make steady progress, reach 197 mark for first time in 2017

Georgia got off to a disastrous start this season but has steadily improved, especially on balance beam. Since tallying a 47.225 in the first meet of the year, the Gymdogs have managed to score at least 49.000 in three of the last four meets. This weekend against Missouri, Georgia had all six gymnasts score a 9.750 or better. It marked the first time this season that the Gymdogs have gone 6 for 6.

With Sydney Snead out as a precaution with a back injury and Sabrina Vega out because of illness, Georgia competed with just five athletes on both uneven bars and floor exercise.

One of the standouts? Freshman Rachel Dickson, who competed in the all-around for the first time and notched a career high on all four events: a 9.900 on vault, a 9.925 on the uneven bars, a 9.750 on balance beam and a 9.950 on floor exercise. She earned individual titles on vault and uneven bars, shared the floor exercise title and won her first all-around title.

The Bruins are up to fifth in the rankings after cracking the 197 mark for the first time this season. And while UCLA is loaded with talent, the Bruins are still working to put together the best meet on all four events.

Madison Kocian scored a career-best 39.525 in the all-around against Oregon State, including a 9.950 on floor exercise. The two-time Olympic medalist rebounded on the uneven bars with a 9.875 after a rough performance two weeks ago against Oklahoma.

Bama struggles against Arkansas, Auburn

Alabama had some uncharacteristic mistakes in both of the Crimson Tide's meets this weekend.

On Friday, the No. 5 Crimson Tide traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the No. 23 Razorbacks. Alabama was forced to count a fall on floor exercise and managed just one score above 9.900. While the Crimson Tide didn't put up their top lineup, Alabama had only two scores throughout the meet above a 9.900.

Arkansas had a great meet and was led by Jessica Yamzon in the all-around. The Razorbacks topped Alabama for the third straight time in their 195.825-195.325 win.

The Crimson Tide hosted Auburn on Sunday, and a difficult uneven bars rotation was almost the difference in the competition. Alabama was forced to count falls from Aja Sims and Kiana Winston on bars while putting up great scores on both balance beam and floor exercise. Winston and Sims were both huge on floor exercise with scores of 9.950 and 9.975, respectively.

Southern Utah just outside the top 10

The Thunderbirds entered the weekend ranked No. 9 in the country after their first meet. Now, they're in a three-way tie for No. 11 in the country after topping No. 24 North Carolina State on Friday night.

Southern Utah got another great performance from Danielle Ramirez, who is the only gymnast competing in the all-around for the Thunderbirds. Ramirez posted season highs on three of four events--vault (9.875), uneven bars (9.800) and floor exercise (9.875) to post an all-around total of 39.425.

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The Thunderbirds best rotation came on floor exercise with all six gymnasts scoring a 9.775 or better. A week after posting a 49.200 on balance beam, Southern Utah struggled on beam with only two scores above 9.800.


Related:
Recap: George Washington University Wins 2017 Metroplex Challenge
Recap: Baker's Perfect 10 Caps Florida's Win Against Auburn
UCLA's Kyla Ross Earns First Perfect 10 With Flawless Bar Set