• [Meet Scores]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Gymnastics team used some new faces to come up with a winning result against Kentucky Friday night, outscoring the Wildcats 196.375-193.625 in front of 10,540 fans here in Coleman Coliseum.

"I was really proud of our performance," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "I think it was a hard night, coming off of last weekend (against Auburn) and going into next weekend (at Georgia). Maybe the coaching staff had a few different goals than the team might have. One of them was to have this young lady (Ricki Lebegern) go out and do four events whether she was in competition or in exhibition and be calm and controlled. I think after the first couple of meets when she struggled a little bit on one event. I think to see her tonight to come in with much more confidence, that's where our team grows."

"Then we had an instance where another freshman, Casey Overton did three events for us tonight, one exhibition and the other two in competition," Patterson said. "She hasn't competed for us at all. Those are the kinds of things that the coaching staff looking for."

Junior Terin Humphrey won her first all-around of the season, posting a 39.425. Freshman Morgan Dennis won the floor exercise and shared top honors on the vault with fellow rookie Kassi Price. Price also won a share of the uneven bars and balance beam titles. She shared first with Humphrey on the balance beam and she tied with Kentucky senior Krystle Cook on the uneven bars.

"It's hard coming down from a really high meet (last weekend against Auburn)," Humphrey said. "It's always hard to come in the next week and motivate yourself. I think we did a good job. Even though we had mistakes this time, we are going to go in the gym and work extra hard because we have Georgia coming up. We are excited to see them this year."

The Tide finished the night with a high energy set of floor exercise routines, scoring a 49.400. Freshman Ricki Lebegern and Humphrey posted a pair of 9.9s while Dennis won the event with a 9.95. Sophomore Ashley O'Neal led off for Alabama with a 9.80 and junior Kaitlin White added a 9.80 as well.

Alabama started the night off with a 49.2 on the vault led by matching 9.875s from Price and Dennis. Sophomore Brittany Magee led the Tide off on the vault with a 9.875 while junior Kaitlin White made her 2007 vault debut, scoring a 9.775. Kentucky scored a 48.750 on the vault.

On the uneven bars, Price led the Tide to a 49.175 with a meet-high 9.9 followed by Humphrey's 9.875. Lebegern, sophomore Cassie Martin, and Dennis all scored matching 9.8s. The Wildcats started their night off with a 48.500 on the bars.

Alabama scored a 48.600 on the balance beam, having to count a fall in its total when both junior Erin Rightley and Dennis came off the apparatus. Price and Humphrey led the Tide with matching 9.875s to close out the rotation. Freshman Casey Overton made her Tide debut, scoring a 9.750 after Rightley's fall. Magee led the Tide off with a 9.825.

After two straight weeks at home, Alabama takes to the road for a two-meet swing, facing Georgia in Athens next Saturday followed by a trip to Fayetteville, Ark. to take on the Arkansas Ladybacks.

--UA--