The Tide gymnasts posted solid scores on three events but struggled for the third week in a row on the balance beam, where they had to count a fall and a low scoring routine that had significant execution errors. On the bright side, the coaches continued to pull from their treasure chest of athletes to debut new routines on vault (Shannon Hrozek, Stephanie Kite), balance beam (Stephanie Kite) and floor exercise (Michelle Reeser). This is allowing Alabama to continue building depth on all four events as they pace themselves for post-season competition in late March and April.

Starting on the vault, Bama sophomore, Lauren Holdefer, blasted a super powerful and high front pike that achieved great distance but a large step forward on the landing resulted in a deduction of .225, for a final score of 9.675. Next up, freshman Shannon Hrozek debuted her front pike with nice explosion off the horse, tight form and a tiny one foot shuffle in place to balance her landing for a 9.750. Junior Kristin Sterner literally exploded off the horse with her best vault of the season, a front pike with a ½ twist, garnering a 9.90. This in turn motivated sophomore Jeana Rice to throw a powerful Yurchenko with a full twist for a 9.825 (great form and distance throughout but she popped backwards on the landing). After a shaky long warm up series on the vault, sophomore Erin Holdefer showed her courage by vaulting a gargantuan front pike with a small hop forward on the landing, impressing the judges with her tight form, toe point and distance on landing for a 9.80. Senior Andree Pickens responded in kind with her own special form of power, throwing a Yurchenko with a full twist for a 9.85, garnering deductions for popping backwards to stop her momentum. The Tide finished with a 49.125 on this event.

On the uneven bars for Denver, we were impressed with the solid release moves and dismounts performed by Ashley Shible (9.725), Melanie Schiff (9.750) and Michelle Kasuga (9.800). Denver scored a 48.675 on this event. At this juncture, Denver trailed Alabama by .425.

Alabama moved to their strongest event, the uneven bars, where sophomore Tiffany Byrd performed nice giant uprises, a full turn to immediate Tkatchev and a double tuck dismount for a 9.750. Jeana Rice threw one of her best routines in terms of reaching handstand positions and showing exquisite extension and toe point but she was deducted .2 for an execution error on her transition to the low bar, which she had to snap quickly to gain her handstand position and not lose momentum. Her full in dismount had both saltos above the high bar before she stuck the landing (9.800). Kristin Sterner was equally strong with her full twisting Tkatchev and Tkatchev release moves, missing only one handstand position near the end of her routine but landing the double front dismount in the most solid way, chest high (9.825). Senior Raegan Tomasek executed a solid routine that was marred only by her failure to reach vertical on her handstand after her toe on toe off and her shuffling of one foot on her double front dismount landing (9.750). Senior Natalie Barrington also had a flawless routine going (inverted giant, full turn, pak salto release, full turn to double tuck dismount) until she took a hop backwards after landing her dismount (9.850). Andree Pickens finished strongly for the second week in a row, throwing four release moves and another perfect full in dismount (also both saltos above the high bar), with deductions only for missing one handstand (9.900). Alabama received a 49.125 on the bars and had a running score of 98.250 at this juncture. Shannon Hrozek exhibited a very nice bars set, rotating very quickly, reaching for her handstand positions on all uprises and throwing a huge Geinger release that was way above the bars (we caught it on video and print film!). She will definitely push the line-up on this event.

On the vault, Denver was able to garner higher scores with solid vaults from Jessica Kennedy (9.775), Jill Gunter (9.775) and Ashley Shible (9.90), who threw a 10.0 vault named after her (it looked like a Tsukahara entry in the layout position that was then tucked in the air before landing it facing the horse). Denver's vault total score was 48.850 and their running score at this juncture was a 97.525.

Moving to the balance beam, Alabama looked confident but wary during the three minute touch. Coach Patterson decided to tweak the line-up a bit by opening with senior Alexa Martinez, who unfortunately struggled mightily to stand up the two-footed layout element of her flight series. After wind-milling a bit and doing the cha-cha to retain her footing, she was able to complete her super difficult Popanova straddle and wolf jumps without significant deductions. Nevertheless, Alexa was heavily deducted for execution errors and did not receive full credit for her flight series as a result of her major balance break (9.550). Following in her footsteps was Tiffany Byrd, who seemed to feel the pressure immediately as she was throwing some tentative opening leap combinations. She fell on the third element of her flight series (layout) and finished her routine (nice switch leap to standing gainer) with a small step forward on her landing of a full twist (9.175). Raegan Tomasek, being a seasoned veteran, was not expecting to incur any problems as she attacked the beam with her front punch mount. Unfortunately, her left foot slipped off upon landing and she had to take an automatic .5 deduction right from the beginning. The rest of her routine was just about flawless, including the return of her three element flight series (added a second flic flac after her layout) and a confident front walkover (9.325). To the rescue, Jeana Rice! She arguably has the most beautiful form, extension, and toe point on her flight series of flic flac, layout, layout that we have seen even in international competitions! Okay, maybe we are a little prejudiced, but what a way to respond to the ultimate pressure moment! She had a slight balance check on her wolf Popanova but threw her standing gainer with no problems and dismounted with a nice and tight double twist for a 9.875. This allowed Andree Pickens to relax and throw her three element flight series and punch front, as well as a switch leap to wolf jump combination. She chose to mount without the punch front and she dismounted with a gainer full instead of the double tuck that she had been practicing in warm-ups in order to avoid further scoring risks (9.750). Kristin Sterner also took out her punch front mount but kept the remainder of her very difficult routine intact. She struggled on the third element of her flight series (layout) but pulled it together and completed the rest of her routine without significant deductions, including a rock solid double pike dismount (9.700). Stephanie Kite exhibited a number of difficult skills on the beam, including a punch front mount, a two-footed back handspring to a layout, a ¾ wolf and a switch leap to ¾ wolf. Alabama scored a 48.200 on the balance beam and had a running score of 146.450.

The Pioneers were struggling a bit on the floor initially but then posted solid if not spectacular scores by Jessica Kennedy (9.725), Melanie Schiff (9.725), and Emily Bankhead (9.775) before Michelle Kasuga showcased some very nice tumbling and choreography, which impressed the judges enough to garner a 9.800. Denver scored a 48.800 on the floor exercise and held a running score of 146.325 at this point.

The Crimson Tide knew they had to finish strongly on the floor exercise or go down in defeat to a composed Denver team that had no falls on the balance beam. Lauren Holdefer posted a solid 9.800, which was highlighted by a beautiful opening double tuck that had major hang time. Stephanie Kite responded with one of her best routines for a 9.775 and freshman Alexis Brion once again electrified the crowd with her sultry routine that garnered a 9.875 (awesome double tuck, as well as tight form on her front layout to front tuck, which she opened out nicely). Raegan Tomasek now appears to look forward to throwing that double front Arabian, which she once again landed like a dart (to Bryan Raschilla's relief) and pranced her way to a 9.85. Possible deductions may have occurred on her 1 ½ tuck jump turn (slightly bounced out of on landing) and perhaps limited bonus combination on her second and third passes. Kristin Sterner performed another stupendous floor routine, highlighted by one of the best opening double pike landings we have seen from her. The choreography was tweaked a bit towards the final pass and Kristin really seems to enjoy her new routine (9.925). Alexa Martinez added a fourth tumbling pass to her routine this week after opening with the awesome front through to a double twist (landed with a small but noticeable foot balance check), garnering a respectable 9.775. Alexa showcased a beautiful straddle full to wolf full combination series, landing both on a dime. Freshman Michelle Reeser debuted her high octane routine to "Devil Went Down To Georgia" and performed like a senior! She opened with a double pike (landed solidly) but had a little trouble on her final pass of front layout to front full. However, the crowd was with her from the beginning and gave a roar of approval as she finished with a tuck jump to Shushonova before saluting the Ten Troupe section with her final dance move and a huge grin. The Tide finished on floor with a 49.225 and a final score of 195.675.

Denver conquered the gremlins on balance beam that had earlier thwarted Bama's efforts to go 24 of 24 routines. Melanie Schiff (9.850), Ashley Shible (9.800) and Michelle Kasuga (9.800) posted three of the highest scores on this event overall, surpassed only by Jeana Rice's 9.875 earlier. The Pioneers earned a 48.900 score on the balance beam and a final score of 195.225.

Bama (now ranked 5th) will return to Coleman Coliseum to face the 4th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, February 2, 2002. The Tide is due for a solid performance on the balance beam and will need to pull it all together this week in order to defeat Nebraska. Hopefully, the Bama Nation will show up in large numbers to cheer them on to victory!