The tenth-ranked Georgia GymDogs dropped a 197.800-196.500 decision to Florida, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, Friday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
“We had three athletes today—Rachel Baumann, Sabrina Vega, and Rachael Lukacs—who came up with three of their bigger routines,” Georgia head coach Courtney Kupets Carter said. “Rachael Lukacs had her vault.
Baumann, in a really crucial time on beam, came up with one of her best beam routines I’ve seen all year— [she did] little things, but it was beautiful. Sabrina Vega finishing up on beam and floor was big. I think those three coming at crucial times and continuing the momentum that we needed to at least have a strong finish was really important. [It was] not the meet we wanted, but those three have really been leaders. They’ve consistently been bringing us these routines and scores.”
The GymDogs began competition on vault where they totaled a 49.275, their highest event score of the night. Sophomore Rachael Lukacs vaulted herself to Georgia’s highest score of the rotation with a 9.925. This ties Lukacs’ season-high. Sophomore Abbey Ward and senior Sabrina Vega each added 9.875 marks apiece, a score that matches Vega’s season-best. The GymDogs rounded out vault with 9.800 scores by sophomores Mikayla Magee and Rachel Baumann.
Moving on to bars, Georgia sophomore Megan Roberts paced the team with a 9.850. Junior Marissa Oakley scored a 9.825 in the anchor position to follow, while Vega added a 9.775. Lukacs and freshman Haley De Jong both contributed scores of 9.725.
Baumann and Vega led the GymDogs on beam with 9.900 scores apiece. Magee and De Jong scored a 9.850 and 9.825, respectively. Freshman Soraya Hawthorne contributed a 9.700.
Georgia wrapped up competition on floor, where Roberts matched a career-high performance with a 9.800. Vega finished the night as the leading scorer in back-to-back events, first on beam and finally on floor with a 9.900. Sophomores Lukacs and Alyssa Perez-Lugones notched scores of 9.825, while Roberts and Baumann pitched in 9.800 apiece.
Next, the GymDogs trek to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to take on the Crimson Tide on Saturday, March 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Georgia returns home Saturday, March 14, for its final regular-season meet against Missouri. Competition is slated for 4 p.m. ET.
FINAL RESULTS-
GEORGIA: SCORE (VT- 49.275, UB-48.900, BB- 49.175, FX- 49.150) – 196.500
FLORIDA: SCORE (VT- 49.450, UB-49.325, BB- 49.650, FX- 49.375) – 197.800
VAULT- 49.275
Mikayla Magee: 9.800Abbey Ward: 9.875Rachel Baumann: 9.800Sabrina Vega: 9.875Soraya Hawthorne: 9.800Rachael Lukacs: 9.925
BARS- 48.900
Rachael Lukacs: 9.725Loulie Hattaway: 9.675Sabrina Vega: 9.775Megan Roberts: 9.850Haley De Jong: 9.725Marissa Oakley: 9.825
BEAM- 49.175
Mikayla Magee: 9.850Soraya Hawthorne: 9.700
Haley De Jong: 9.825Marissa Oakley: 9.150Rachel Baumann: 9.900Sabrina Vega: 9.900
FLOOR- 49.150Alyssa Perez-Lugones: 9.825
Megan Roberts: 9.800
Rachael Baumann: 9.800
Soraya Hawthorne: 9.775
Rachael Lukacs: 9.825
Sabrina Vega: 9.900