Alabama Gymnastics Posts Season-High Score in Tie vs. Arkansas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama gymnastics took to Coleman Coliseum looking to build on its strong start to the season and back-to-back scores of over 197. The Crimson Tide posted a season-high 197.525 on Friday, which was enough for a tie at the final tally.

The No. 3 Crimson Tide hosted No. 4 Arkansas Friday night in its second straight top-five matchup at home. It came down to the wire. Alabama needed help from a late fall on beam by Arkansas and a strong floor routine to overcome some difficulties during the home stretch of the meet. The Crimson Tide also suffered a fall in its own right but rose to the challenge from there on out.

Alabama led through the first two rotations. On vault, things largely went off without a hitch, until Luisa Blanco stopped short on her first attempt. She collected herself, and after some coaching from fellow veteran Makarri Doggette, took to the task a second time and scored a 9.925. Head coach Ashley Johnston said Blanco made a smart decision by stopping before the board and choosing to take a second try. "She made a really smart decision in that moment, staying composed, staying really grounded." Shania Adams was penciled into the vault lineup pre-meet as a late replacement for Jamison Sears, earning her praise from the head coach for her poise in scoring a 9.850. Blanco tied two Arkansas gymnasts for the event title on vault.

Alabama's bars lineup was as advertised. Only one gymnast from the home squad logged a mark below 9.900 in that event. Doggette took home the event title with a 9.950 that electrified the Coleman crowd. Chloe LaCoursiere scored her third straight 9.900 on bars, continuing a remarkable run of high-scoring consistency as a freshman. "It's so amazing to know my team trusts me with that leadoff spot," she said. "That leadoff is the starter, creates the momentum for the team, and for them to trust me and put me in that spot and I've been able to perform, [it's] just an amazing thing." The Crimson Tide's performance on bars stretched the lead, but Arkansas fought back on floor and sent the meet to the final events with a margin of just .025 separating the two teams.

This comeback attempt was aided by a Lilly Hudson fall on the balance beam. "That was heartbreaking for her to have that fall on beam. It's very uncharacteristic of her," Johnston said. "It says a lot about her, the way that she was able to brush that off and know that that doesn't define her. She knows who she is as a beam worker. That one mistake isn't gonna dictate how she moves forward." Johnston's faith in a veteran whose Alabama tenure predates her own later paid off in spades. Fellow veteran Ella Burgess' 9.950 on beam was good for the event title.

A strong series of routines on floor kept Alabama's chances at 197 and beyond alive. LaCoursiere led off in her Coleman floor debut, and Hudson closed it out in an electric moment that proved to be one of the definitive spots of the meet. The floor exercise was also where Sears competed for the first time in the matchup. Arkansas was on beam during the final rotation, and when the Crimson Tide needed a fall, it came by way of all-around winner Priscilla Park, who was the very last Arkansas competitor of the night. "It was amazing watching your floor lead us off like a rock," Hudson said emphatically to LaCoursiere. "You started that." The freshman from San Diego listened to advice from her veteran teammates to be herself and delivered with a 9.850. After Park's fall, Hudson approached the floor with an opportunity to finish the meet off with a statement. She redeemed herself and tied things up. "She was really enjoying herself and staying present [on floor]," Johnston said. "I didn't know exactly how close it was," Hudson said. "They [my teammates] set me up perfectly. It was strong routine, after routine, after routine. So I just let loose. I trusted my cues, the numbers I have, and I just had fun out there."

Johnston had high praise for her team's adaptability. There were multiple lineup changes, including the aforementioned switch to Adams (who was brilliant in three events on the night) on vault, as well as the floor debuts for LaCoursiere and Sears. The head coach decided to test her team's depth. Sophomore star Gabby Gladieux did not compete at all, and Johnston said Friday that she does not expect to see junior Jordyn Paradise this season. "They had to come right into the mix and perform big," Johnston said of the switches she made. "It says a lot about who they are, what they bring to this team, how talented they are, how much they've bought in to the team-first mentality. Knowing that at anytime, anyplace, everybody has to be ready to go."

The team has exceeded 197 points in every meet this season. This fact held true on Friday. "This week was really important to us," Johnston said. "The team did a really good job of staying in the moment, doing the little things that they could control, to lead to the best outcome. I'm proud of them for getting through this week. It was a tough week with all the changes." Even with those changes, which altered the lineups substantially in some cases, the team stayed the course and had another positive result against a highly-ranked team.

How It Happened:

Fourth Rotation (Alabama floor exercise, Arkansas balance beam)

All scores are as announced as of the immediate aftermath of the meet by the Coleman P.A.
The all-around winner is Arkansas' Priscilla Park, whose fall on beam let Alabama back into things. The bars title belongs to Makarri Doggette, the beam title belongs to Ella Burgess and the floor title belongs to Lilly Hudson. Luisa Blanco, Leah Smith and Lauren Williams tied for the vault title.
The score of this meet: Arkansas 197.525, Alabama 197.525. Wow. The only solo event titles of the night belong to Alabama.
The final competitor in this matchup is Lilly Hudson on floor. Big routine coming up here. Hudson is cheered loudly as the meet wraps up. Park was given a 9.025 on beam. Hudson gets a 9.950.
Last up on beam for Arkansas is Park. She takes a fall. This could prove massive. Sears gets a 9.875 for her floor routine.
Sears nails her floor routine, and the crowd knew it.
Freshman Jamison Sears makes her debut in this meet on floor up next. Linton nets a 9.900 on beam.
Next on the beam for the Razorbacks is Sirena Linton. Machado scores 9.875 on floor.
On floor now for Alabama is Cam Machado. Weaver gets a 9.825 on beam.
Cami Weaver takes on the balance beam next for Arkansas. Burgess' floor score checks in at 9.825.
Waligora's floor score is a 9.700. Up next for the Crimson Tide on floor is Ella Burgess. Williams nets a 9.875 on beam.
Mati Waligora to the floor for Alabama. Jones' beam score checks in at 9.875. Williams up next.
Next on beam for the Razorbacks: Maddie Jones. LaCoursiere gets a 9.850 on floor and Jones sticks her beam landing.
Up first for Alabama on floor is Chloe LaCoursiere. She returns to the lineup after not competing on beam. Her routine is met with an electric reaction from teammates.
Starting on beam for Arkansas is Kalyxta Gamiao. She begins the final event with a 9.925.
The absence of Gabby Gladieux, an SEC champion on vault and all-arounder, looms large on paper in this final event. Crimson Tide's lead is razor thin. She earned a 9.975 on floor in Vegas.

Third Rotation (Alabama balance beam, Arkansas floor exercise)

The penultimate event closes with a score of Alabama 148.150, Arkansas 148.125.
Frankie Price closes out on floor for Arkansas with a 9.850. The third event is complete. Blanco gets 9.850 on beam.
Luisa Blanco rounds out tonight's showing on beam for Alabama. Williams nets 9.875 on floor. Blanco gets a huge ovation from fans.
Shania Adams scored a 9.900 on beam. Arkansas' Williams finishes up on floor to a strong ovation from teammates.
Adams next on beam for the Crimson Tide. One of the loudest crowd responses to a beam routine tonight. Smith scored 9.925 on floor.
Smith on floor for Arkansas. Rybicki nets a 9.800 for her beam routine.
Next on beam for Alabama is Rachel Rybicki. She stops herself from falling and ends strong. "She said stick!" from the crowd.
Jones closes out her floor routine for Arkansas to the tune of a 9.900. Burgess' beam score is a 9.950.
Park finishes up on floor to a strong ovation from her teammates. Ella Burgess up on beam for Alabama. Hudson scores a 9.125. Need strong showings the rest of the way to be able to drop it. Burgess is greeted by the chant at the close of her routine. Park nets a 9.825 on floor.
Klein scores 9.850 on floor. Next on floor is Park. Hudson takes a fall.
Hailey Klein leads off on floor for the Razorbacks. Hudson next on beam for the Crimson Tide. Waligora's score checks in at 9.700.
First up on beam for Alabama is Mati Waligora, and the third event is underway.

Second Rotation (Alabama uneven bars, Arkansas vault)

Through two events, Alabama has widened its lead: it's a 98.950-98.725 advantage for the home squad. Both Adams and Doggette earned "She said stick!" chants for their showing on bars.
Adams and 2021 SEC champion Makarri Doggette close Alabama out on bars with a 9.925 and a 9.950 respectively. Arkansas ends on vault with a pair of strong scores.
Frankie Price of Arkansas completes her vault routine. Waligora gets a 9.925 for her outing on bars. Up next is Adams.
The Crimson Tide's Mati Waligora lands her bars routine to a loud cheer and yet another chant. Sedlacek checks in at 9.850 on vault.
Arkansas' Makenzie Sedlacek hits her landing on vault. Machado's bars routine earns a 9.900.
Pawlak scores a 9.850 on bars. Cam Machado next, who sticks her landing and gets to bask in the chant. Smith scores a 9.925 on vault, a high mark for Arkansas.
Alabama's Natalia Pawlak lands well after her bars routine. Park's vault score is 9.800. Leah Smith next for the visitors.
Park next on vault for Arkansas. LaCoursiere nets yet another 9.900 on bars. She's been on fire with those.
Getting things started on bars for Alabama is Chloe LaCoursiere. She sticks the landing, and yes, there was a chant. Weaver's vault score checks in at 9.875.
Leading off the second rotation is Cami Weaver on vault for Arkansas.

First Rotation (Alabama vault, Arkansas uneven bars)

Through one event, Alabama leads Arkansas by a narrow margin: 49.350 to 49.300.
Arkansas' final bars competitor, Maddie Jones, has a somewhat shaky landing to end a strong event for the visitors. Adams' vault score checks in at 9.850. Jones lands a 9.825 for her efforts on bars.
Adams earns a tremendous ovation and a "She said stick!" chant. For those keeping track, that's three in six tries on vault. Arkansas' Priscilla Park scores 9.925 on bars.
Doggette's vault score is 9.825. The final competitor of the rotation, Shania Adams, is up.
Doggette is strong on vault. Meanwhile, Arkansas' Jensen Scalzo scored a 9.825 on bars.
Blanco scores a 9.925 on vault, the Crimson Tide's highest mark on the night as of yet. Up next is Doggette.
Luisa Blanco stops short on her first start on vault before completing the routine. After some coaching from Makarri Doggette, she lands her second start to a tremendous cheer. Pratt earns a 9.825 on bars.
Solid showing on bars for Arkansas' Jamie Pratt. Hudson nets the first 9.900 on the night for the Crimson Tide with her vault score.
Alabama's Lilly Hudson conquers the bars, earning the second "She said stick!" chant of the night. Drotar's bars score is 9.875.
LaCoursiere's score on vault is a 9.850.
Chloe LaCoursiere follows German on vault, then Reese Drotar takes to the bars for Arkansas. Swaney's bars score is 9.850.
Karis German's vault score is 9.825.
Cally Swaney starts things off on the uneven bars for Arkansas and hits her landing.
Leading off on vault for Alabama is Karis German. She nails the landing and we're underway with a "She said stick!" chant.