By: Adam Hambright
FORT WORTH, Tex. – Alabama scored a season-high 198.000 at the Metroplex Challenge, finishing second to No. 1 Oklahoma.
The Sooners finished with a score of 198.125. The Tide finished ahead of No. 16 Arkansas who finished with a 197.125 and No. 24 Stanford who posted a score of 196.725.
Lilly Hudson started the first rotation with a 9.900 on bars. Freshman Karis German made her collegiate debut and posted a 9.850. Mati Waligora followed with a 9.875 before Makarri Doggette and Luisa Blanco each scored a 9.900 to give Alabama the lead early over Oklahoma.
In the second rotation, Ella Burgess led off with a 9.900 on beam. Rachel Rybicki posted a season-high score of her own with a 9.875. Waligora and Hudson each posted scores of 9.875 as well before Blanco scored her second 9.900 of the night. At the end of the rotation, the Tide now trailed the Sooners 99.050-98.850.
Waligora started Bama off on floor with a 9.875. Shania Mitchell went second and scored a 9.900 for the third meet in a row. Gabby Gladieux scored a season-best 9.950, followed by Hudson and Blanco each receiving scores of 9.950 as well.
Heading into the final rotation Alabama lead Oklahoma by a slim margin of 148.475-148.450.
After falling on her vault last week Doggette led off the rotation with a 9.925. Jordyn Paradise and Blanco also received a score of 9.925, and Shallon Olsen added a score of 9.875 to bring the total score for the Tide to 198.000.
Blanco, Paradise and Doggette all tied for the vault event title with Audrey Davis of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma gymnast Jordan Bowers won the all-around with a score of 39.750. Blanco finished with an all-around score of 39.675 and Hudson finished with 39.550.
The Crimson Tide will be on the road again next week when they travel to Athens, Georgia to take on the No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs Friday at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
-30-
