Mizzou Gymnastics fell Friday to the team’s second opponent this season, the No. 3 Florida Gators, by a score of 197.300 – 194.625. Despite the loss, Missouri improved its team score by two points from the first meet of the season against Alabama.
In their first meet on the road, the Tigers started on the Uneven Bars, posting a team score of 48.800. Freshman Miranda Eubank scored a career-high 9.750 and junior Mackenzie McGill tied her season-high score with a 9.775. Sophomore Rachel Updike and junior Katelyn Trevino each posted a 9.775, and sophomore Laura Kappler added a 9.725 to the team score as well. The Gators outscored the Tigers with a 49.600.
Missouri moved to Vault in the meet’s second rotation, following Florida’s posting of 49.325 on the event. Eubank scored a 9.675 as a career-high on this event and Updike matched her own career-high score with a 9.950. Senior Sandra Ostad, Trevino and senior Tori Howard rounded out the rotation, posting scores of 9.725, 9.825 and 9.800, respectively. Missouri’s team score on this event of 48.975 was it’s highest of the meet.
Mizzou traveled to the Floor Exercise next to post a 48.525. Juniors Taylor Medrea and Cathryn Aliceaacosta both scored a 9.700 to lead off on this event. Trevino performed a solid routine to earn a 9.750. Howard and Ostad wrapped up this event for the Tigers with a 9.800 and 9.525, respectively. But the Gators once again posted a higher team score of 49.200.
The Tigers ended the meet on the Balance Beam with their lowest team score of 48.375. Kappler started the team off with a 9.675 and Aliceaacosta followed with a 9.650. Freshman Rachel Henderson, who was competing on this event for the first time, scored a 9.700 and Howard posted a season-high of 9.775. Updike was the last Tiger to compete, scoring a 9.575. Florida posted a team score of 49.175 on this event.
Missouri travels to Colorado Springs, Colo, next week to compete in a Quad Meet against the Air Force Academy, Texas Woman’s University and University of California, Davis. The meet will be on Saturday Jan. 26 and start at 2 p.m.