• Also see our own Postmeet Commentary for this meet!

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Sophomore Morgan Dennis capped the No. 4 Alabama Gymnastics team's night against No. 1 ranked Georgia on Friday with an electric 9.95 floor routine, bringing the sold-out crowd to its feet once again here in Coleman Coliseum, but it wasn't enough as Tide fell just short, 196.625-196.000.

"We came in here tonight and we really wanted to win," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "This meet was a good measure of how far our young team has come since last year and I think it showed that we've come a long way. Tonight was a learning experience. We'll take this meet and go back into practice and this will move us forward."

For the fourth time in school history and the second time with Georgia in the house, Alabama team sold out the Coliseum to the tune of 15,075 fans. The Tide's first sellout came in 1997 vs. Georgia. Tonight marks Alabama's third sold out meet in as many years, and the fan total is tied for the fourth highest attendance in collegiate gymnastics history.

"I can't say enough about the crowd tonight," Patterson said. "They were tremendous and I hope they all come back next week for our annual "Power of Pink" meet when we'll face the No. 9 team in the country, the Arkansas Razorbacks."

Alabama swept the top-three spots in the all-around with sophomore Kassi Price winning her second of the season with a 39.275, followed by sophomores Morgan Dennis (39.125) and Ricki Lebegern (38.975).

"I think we all did an amazing job tonight," Price said. "We just have to go into practice with the same confidence that we had going into this meet. That is the key thing for us right now."

Dennis tied with UGA's Courtney McCool for first on the floor exercise and Price tied with Georgia's Katie Heenan and Courtney Kupets for the uneven bars title. Heenan also won the vault while her teammate Grace Taylor won the balance beam.

Dennis scored a 9.95 to pace the Tide on the floor exercise, pushing Alabama to a season-best 49.350 team score. Freshman Kayla Hoffman and Price both scored 9.875s while junior Ashley O'Neal and senior Kaitlin White started the Tide off with matching 9.825s. Georgia scored a 49.325 on the floor.

Alabama started the meet off with another big vault from sophomore Ricki Lebegern scoring a 9.8. Hoffman again led the Tide on the vault scoring a 9.875 followed closely by Dennis' 9.85. As a team, Alabama and Georgia both scored a 48.900.

"I thought that we did an exceptional job on vault," Patterson said. "I had to tell the ladies to focus on their performance and not the scores because there was big variance in scores. I thought they did an amazing job coming back, going to bars and kept that momentum going."

The Tide came back with a 49.150 on the uneven bars led by a 9.95 from Price. Dennis, Lebegern, Hoffman and sophomore Jacqueline Shealy all scored 9.8s. For Lebegern it was her first time in the bars lineup this season while Shealy posted a career high in her second competitive routine since returning from last year's knee surgery. Georgia scored a season-best 49.425 on the uneven bars.

Price scored a 9.825 and Lebegern a 9.8 on the balance beam to lead the Tide to a 48.600 team score. Sophomore Casey Overton led the Tide off with a 9.775 mark. The Bulldogs posted a 48.975 on the beam.

Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum next Friday for the annual "Power of Pink" when the Tide will face the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tickets are available through the Alabama Ticket office (205.348.2262) located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum or online at RollTide.com and fans are encouraged to wear pink to the meet.

--UA--