Floor Rotation Completes No. 16 @MizzouGym's Upset Over No. 10 Kentucky

Friday, March 1

Columbia, Mo.

5 p.m. CT

University of Missouri

196.250

196.000

#10 Kentucky

Floor Rotation Completes No. 16 @MizzouGym's Upset Over No. 10 Kentucky

3/1/2019 7:32:00 PM | Gymnastics

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 16 Mizzou gymnastics team posted a 49.400 on floor in the final rotation to ice a 196.250-196.000 upset of No. 10 Kentucky on Friday evening at the Hearnes Center. The Tigers, who clung to a 146.850-146.800 advantage heading into the final rotation, tied for the sixth-highest floor score in program history to clinch the victory of the Wildcats.

The victory was the Tigers' first win over a top 10 opponent this season, and the first since they took down No. 5 Florida on March 2, 2018.

Redshirt senior Morgan Porter (Overland, Mo.) tallied a season-high 39.325 to win the all-around, and also tied teammates for the bars and floor titles. She and redshirt senior Becca Schugel (Eagan, Minn.) tallied meet-best 9.85s on bars, while Porter, junior Aspen Tucker (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) and sophomore Gabrielle Gottula (Spring, Texas) all went 9.9 on floor to tie for the win.

KEY PERFORMANCES

Leading by only half a tenth after three rotations, Missouri responded with a 49.400 on floor to close the meet. The team floor total was a season-high and tied for the sixth-highest score on the event in program history. Gottula, Porter and Tucker, the final three Tiger routines of the night, all notched 9.9s, which was a career-high for Gottula. Senior Allison Bower (Mesa, Ariz.) and junior Mary Nicholson (North Richland Hills, Texas) got the team going with 9.85s in the first two spots in the lineup, and senior Michaelee Turner (Parkville, Mo.) added a 9.825.

Missouri opened the meet with a 48.800 on vault. Freshman Frances Bidwill (Phoenix, Ariz.) debuted her Yurchenko 1.5 to go for a career-best 9.85. Porter helped the Tigers with a 9.8 and Gottula added a 9.775.

Porter and Schugel's 9.85s paced Mizzou to a 48.950 on bars in the second rotation. The duo were joined in the 9.8s by Tucker, who had a 9.8 in the leadoff spot. Senior Brooke Kelly (Birmingham, Ala.) and sophomore Chelsey Christensen (Rapid City, Mo.) both went 9.725 as well.

A 49.100 on beam put the Tigers ahead of the Wildcats in the team race in the third rotation. Kelly paced Missouri with a season-best 9.85, while Bower, Gottula and Nicholson all posted 9.825s in the first three routines of the event. Porter also claimed a season-high 9.775 on the apparatus.

QUOTABLES

Mizzou Head Coach Shannon Welker
"I thought we did a good job all the way around. We're a little depleted on some events, short on personnel, but I was proud of them for sticking in there and putting forth their best effort in a tough situation. That says a lot about their character. Anytime you can get a win it builds confidence. Our sport is very score driven and somewhat irrelevant of wins and losses but the wins do build confidence. I was really proud of the team. I actually think I saw the most heart, grit and determination from the team tonight."