GAINESVILLE
After almost falling on the balance beam one rotation earlier, Kennedy Baker vowed to have a better performance on her floor routine.
The junior closed the meet out on a high note, scoring No. 3 Florida’s first perfect 10 of the season to help the Gators to a 197.700-196.400 win over No. 16 Auburn on Friday.
Performing on the mat to a medley of Missy Elliott songs, Baker stuck all three of her tumbling passes and completed an elegant dance routine between passes. After her final pass, a back half twist to front layout that ends in a straddle jump, Baker’s teammates swarmed her on the mat with a collection of high fives and hugs that turned into elation after the two judges revealed the score.
“You go from almost falling off beam to getting a 10, so it’s a little bit drastic,” said Baker, who also scored a 9.80 on the beam and a 9.875 on the uneven bars. “I felt down after beam, but I kind of just picked myself up and said ‘Do it for the team.’”
The team backed up Baker’s performance as well.
Florida (4-0, 2-0 SEC) edged Auburn (0-4, 0-3 SEC) on each apparatus and did not have to count a score lower than 9.8.
Freshman Amelia Hundley won her first collegiate all-around title with a 39.550 score, highlighted by career-best marks on the uneven bars (9.95) and balance beam (9.90) while tying her career high on the vault (9.85).
Junior Alex McMurtry won the vault with a 9.95 and freshman Rachel Gowey posted a career-best 9.925 to take the balance beam victory.
“Lots of positives,” second-year UF coach Jenny Rowland said. “… They’re having a lot of fun. They’re feeding off of each other.”
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