By: Adam Hambright

COLUMBIA, Mo.- Despite individually winning every event, No. 8 Alabama lost their second straight meet. This time to No. 14 Missouri on the road by a score of 197.075-196.750.

“There was a lot of really great moments and there was just a couple of flat moments that we can work to fix and correct so that we can be at our best moving forward,” said Alabama Head Coach Ashley Johnston.

Lilly Hudson won the all-around for the Tide without winning the individual title in any event. Hudson scored a 9.775 on bars, 9.875 on vault and 9.900 on both floor and beam to finish with an all-around total of 39.450.

Makarri Doggette took home the individual title on bars with a 9.950 and Shallon Olsen won vault with a score of 9.900.

Luisa Blanco only competed in two events due to soreness, but she made those events count. Blanco won the individual title on floor with a 9.950 before scoring her second perfect 10.000 in as many meets and third of the season to win the beam title.

The Tide started strong and lead after the first rotation by a score of 49.375-49.150. Then came vault which has been their most inconsistent event of the season.

Gabby Gladieux started the rotation with a score of 9.850. Doggette posted a 9.750 followed by Hudson who scored a 9.875. Shania Adams then received a 9.675 which was able to be dropped but meant Alabama would have to count the 9.750 from Doggette. Jordyn Paradise scored a 9.800 before Olsen posted her 9.900 to bring the team total on vault to 49.175. 

Missouri now only trailed by a score of 98.550-98.500.

In the third rotation on floor Mati Waligora and Adams both had a fall on one of their tumbling passes. Adams received the higher of the two scores with a 9.150 which would have to be counted. Doggette and Gladieux each posted a score of 9.875 and Hudson received a score of 9.900. Blanco then competed for the first time in the meet and casually scored a 9.950 to bring the team total to 48.750 which is the first team score below 49.000 on floor.

After the rotation, Missouri now led by a score of 147.600-147.300.

The Tide would finish strong on beam with their lowest counted score being 9.800 from Waligora. Ella Burgess started the rotation with a score of 9.875 and Gladieux tied her season-best on the event with a 9.875 as well. Hudson then posted a score of 9.900 to clinch the all-around title before Blanco scored her perfect 10.000 to close out the meet.

“It says a lot about how the group fights in those tough moments and what we need to get better at is not finding ourselves in those tough moments,” said Johnston.

Alabama fans will have one last chance to see a top-ten team in Coleman Coliseum next week when the Crimson Tide host Boise State at 7 p.m. The meet will be Alabama’s senior night and will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus.

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