In Courtney Kupets Carter’s debut as head coach of the GymDogs, Georgia gymnastics dropped its season opener on the road in Tuscaloosa, AL to the No. 4 Crimson Tide, 196.525-194.525, on Friday night.
“I’m a little disappointed because this is not what we’ve been seeing in the gym,” Kupets Carter said. “There were a lot of adjustments made throughout the meet. After issues in warm up on bars we came back and really did a great job. We had five gymnasts who had to go up and hit and they did. The thing we want to take away from this meet is that they can make adjustments.”
Junior Sydney Snead paced the GymDogs on bars, posting a 9.850. As a team, Georgia scored a 49.125 while Alabama tallied a 48.600 on vault, giving the GymDogs an early lead.
The GymDogs maintained the advantage through the next rotation after posting a 48.950 on vault. Senior Lauren Johnson, sophomore Rachel Dickson, and Snead each scored a 9.850 for the event. Sophomore Sabrina Vega made her debut in the vault line up with a 9.775. Georgia took a 98.075- 98.000 lead into the halfway point of the meet.
Georgia put a 48.450 on the scoreboard on floor, with Vivi Babalis and Dickson tallying the top scores of 9.825. Competing for the first time, Jasmine Arnold posted a 9.800 for her routine. A strong beam rotation from Alabama gave the Crimson Tide the lead, 147.350-146.525.
Vega took home the top score for the GymDogs on beam with a 9.875 in her debut of Georgia’s traditional moonwalk. Georgia scored a collective 48.000 for the event.
FINAL RESULTS
Georgia 194.525
(VT-48.950, UB- 49.125, BB- 48.000, FX- 48.450)
Alabama 196.525
(VT- 48.600, UB- 49.400, BB- 49.350, FX- 49.175)
Vault
Sabrina Vega 9.775
Marissa Oakley 9.725
Gigi Marino 9.750
Lauren Johnson 9.850
Rachel Dickson 8.850
Sydney Snead 9.850
Bars
Lauren Johnson 9.775
Marissa Oakley 9.800
Natalie Vaculik 9.825
Sydney Snead 9.850
Rachel Dickson 9.850
Beam
Sydney Snead 9.700
Marissa Oakley 9.175
Natalie Vaculik 9.225
Vivi Babalis 9.800
Rachel Dickson 9.400
Sabrina Vega 9.875
Floor
Jasmine Arnold 9.800
Vivi Babalis 9.825
Rachel Dickson 9.825
Sydney Snead 9.200
Sabrina Vega 9.800
Gigi Marino 9.000
The GymDogs have a quick turn around, as Georgia will face top-ranked Oklahoma in its home opener on Monday, January 15 at 2 p.m. in Stegeman Coliseum.