The Alabama Crimson Tide welcomed second-year program Arkansas to Coleman Coliseum for the first time in a dual meet and claimed another Bama victory in the process: 197.325 to 196.450.  It was Senior Night as well for Tide greats Jeana Rice, Stephanie Kite and Lauren Holdefer.  Each performed very well for the home crowd as they took their final bow in Tuscaloosa.  With this meet, Alabama completed the SEC regular season with a 5-1 record (11-1 overall record for the season) but will have one more meet against Michigan (March 12) before heading to the SEC Championships.  The highlights were many so we'll dive right in.

Vault

Junior Shannon Hrozek has solidified her starting position on this event, earning a 9.90 for another fantastic Yurchenko 1/1 vault (beautiful height, extension and form in the air and a stuck landing).  Senior Lauren Holdefer vaulted her best front pike ½ twist of the season for a 9.85 (one small step back to check her landing) and freshman Brittany Comeaux mastered the very difficult Yurchenko ½ on-front tuck-1/2 off vault for a respectable 9.800.  Jeana Rice next iced her version of the Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.975, followed by Dana Filetti's very well controlled Yurchenko full twist on back pike off (9.825).  Junior Alexis Brion tried super hard to stick another front pike ½ twist vault like she has done for the past month but had one hop back (9.825).  Exhibitions by sophomore Dana Pierce (Yurchenko 1/1) and freshman Johnna Gay (Yurchenko 1/1) were solidly executed.  Alabama finished on vault with a team total of 49.375.

Over on the uneven bars, the Arkansas Razorbacks had excellent performances by Melissa Leigh (9.875) and Katie Hardman (9.850).  The Razorbacks' routines were not particularly difficult in terms of major release moves (other than a few Shaposhnikovas) or E level dismounts but they were executed with confidence and consistency.  They have a stronger foundation now to build in more difficult skills over the next few years.  Team total on uneven bars was 49.125.

Uneven Bars

Shannon Hrozek started the Tide off with another solid routine on the bars (9.875), once again nailing her giant half turn to double tuck dismount with a superb landing.  Dana Filetti (9.125) encountered problems during a giant uprise that took her over the high bar but she was able to stay on the bars and continue her routine.  However, she under-rotated her double front dismount and had to sit it down.  Sophomore Larissa Stewart responded to the challenge with a confident routine (giant half turn to two reverse giants to half turn to Tkatchev, double layout dismount) for a 9.850, as did Brittany Comeaux (9.850), who landed a terrific double front dismount. Mari Bayer kicked it up a bit with perfect handstands, a beautiful piked Jaeger release and a solid double tuck out of a giant full (9.875).  Jeana Rice matched her score (9.875) and was deducted mainly for just missing her handstand on the transition to the low bar and taking one step back on the full in dismount.  Dana Pierce exhibited a very confident routine of her own (9.800), which included two reverse giants. Alabama tallied a 49.325 on the bars.

On the vault, Arkansas had three gymnasts throw 10-valued vaults, including Audra Loveless (9.800 for a Tsukahara full twist), Kathy Thompson (9.775 for a Yurchenko 1/1) and Hannah McLeod (9.800 for a front double twist).  Team score was 48.975. 

Balance Beam

Junior Michelle Reeser completed her beam routine without a major glitch and was rewarded with a 9.850 (just a little bend at the waist on the landing of her bhs-full twist combination) and sophomore Rachael Delahoussaye had a balance check on her layout (bhs-layout flight series) and took a hop on the landing of her gainer back pike dismount (9.775).  Junior Alexis Brion presented her beam routine in front of the home crowd for the first time and truly performed like a veteran, throwing a flight series of bhs-bhs-layout, a switch leap combination, a punch front and a ¾ straddle leap.  She dismounted with a gainer back pike, one hop forward on the landing (9.900).  Shannon Hrozek experienced problems again this week with her switch leap-wolf combination (stopped after first leap and bent at waist after completing the second element) but nailed her dismount of the double twist out of a round off (9.725).  Mari Bayer had a few balance checks of her own on the leap series (switch leap-straddle-wolf combination) yet also nailed her dismount of the gainer back pike (9.825). Jeana Rice had a little trouble on her flight series (bhs-layout-layout) and the wolf full and was also deducted for one foot back on the landing of her double twist (9.800).  Dana Pierce exhibited on the beam and had no major problems.  Team total on this event was a 49.150.

Arkansas had consistent scores on the floor exercise of 9.800-9.825 until the last gymnast, Rachel Barnett, experienced problems going out of bounds on her second pass (front tumbling), ending with a 9.700.  Team total was a 49.050.  The Razorbacks used a variety of music and overall had very nice choreography in their routines, especially Katie Hardman.  Their tumbling consisted mainly of double pikes as opening passes (though one gymnast ended with a double pike) and second and third passes consisted mainly of front tumbling combinations.  They look more confident on this event in their second season and will likely add difficulty here in their tumbling passes over the next two years to make them more competitive post-season.

Floor Exercise

Shannon Hrozek also started the Tide off on the floor exercise (9.825) and had deductions likely for a rather large bounding forward step on the second tumbling pass and possibly also for landing the third pass (double tuck) with feet separated and a hop in place.  Dana Pierce electrified the crowd once again with her dynamic Big Band routine (9.850).  She completed the opening double pike with panache (landed perfectly, almost on her toes) and the final pass of a double twist to Shushonova combination was an exclamation point, wowing the crowd.  Lauren Holdefer responded with a 9.875 that was highlighted by a super high double pike (rather large step back that just avoided going out of bounds) and ending with a stuck double tuck.  Stephanie Kite was back in top form with her front-front full-front punch opening pass and she encountered no problems on her second and third passes this week (9.900).  Alexis Brion poured it on with her whip-bhs-double tuck and also had no problems this week with her second pass (whip ½-front full-front tuck), scoring a 9.925 in the process.  Jeana Rice closed things out on a high note with a super piked full in opening pass, a front-front full-front pike, and then ended with a whip-2 ½ twist, landing it just right (9.925).  Dana Filetti exhibited her routine and was thrilled to complete all three passes with no problems, highlighted by a triple twist and a double pike (9.850).  Team total on the floor was a 49.475. 

Arkansas was very confident on the balance beam as Melissa Leigh (9.875), Katie Hardman (9.875) and Cassie Drew (9.875) demonstrated strong flight and leap series respectively.  Only Rachel Barnett encountered problems (2 falls) for a 8.725.  Team total on beam for the Razorbacks was a 49.300.