High scores and surprises highlight Friday's NCAA gymnastics meets

So much for the naysaying about Georgia.

The defending NCAA champion Gym Dogs finally did what Georgia fans have been waiting for them to do all season: the team scored a commanding 197.2, walloping no. 12 Kentucky at home Friday night. Georgia and Arkansas, which recorded a program high 197.025 against Auburn Friday, are the second and third schools to break 197 this season. Alabama scored 197.45 a couple weeks ago against Arkansas.

This is undoubtedly a big step forward for Georgia, but it's probably worth noting that this meet happened in the team's home gym with a highly pro-Georgia crowd to give them energy. Freshman Shayla Worley said afterward that she had undesestimated the importance of a home crowd.

Coming off Utah coach Greg Marsden's comments this week about his team struggling to create their own energy away from Salt Lake City, one has to wonder if Georgia suffers from the same problem, and if they'll be able to repeat this performance on the road.

Anyways, the Gym Dogs have another week to work and find their rhythm. Next week's meet is also at Georgia, against no. 7 Arkansas, whose season high is now less than 0.2 behind Georgia's.

Here's a fuller recap of what happened in NCAA gymnastics last night:

Georgia vs. Kentucky @ Georgia: Georgia 197.2, Kentucky 195.55. Finally! In her first all-around competition as an NCAA gymnast, Shayla Worley did not disappoint, setting career highs on every event and winning the overall title with 39.5. Worley also shared top honors with senior Courtney McCool on floor (9.95).

After an uncharacteristic beam performance last week, senior Grace Taylor rebounded with a 9.95 for the title on her best event, while sophomore Kat Ding won bars (9.975, career high). Kentucky's Whitney Rose was the top gymnast on vault (9.9).

"We felt a real shift in the focus and we worked hard at getting back to the way we opened the season," coach Jay Clark told GeorgiaDogs.com after the meet. "There are some places we have to improve, but this is a good place for us to be right now because we have another meet next week at home, and we can improve on what we did tonight.” (GeorgiaDogs.com)

UCLA vs. Arizona @ Arizona: UCLA 196.725, Arizona 193.8. The Bruins continue to look rock-steady, though this season-high score is not as spectacular as ones we've already seen from Alabama and now Georgia and Arkansas. Sophomore Vanessa Zamarripa won the all-around with a 39.675 (career high) and also placed first on uneven bars (9.95, career high) and balance beam (9.95). Sophomore standout Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs was the high scorer on vault (9.925) and shared the floor title with junior Brittani McCullough (9.925). (UCLABruins.com)

LSU vs. Alabama @ LSU: LSU 196.475, Alabama 196.05. Well, that was unexpected. It all came apart for Alabama during its first rotation, when freshman Ashley Sledge fell and junior Kayla Hoffman missed, then had a grip malfunction that compounded her difficulties.

In her post-meet remarks, Alabama coach Sarah Patterson had stern words for Sledge: "I am disappointed in the mental inconsistency of Ashley Sledge's performance," Patterson told Rolltide.com. "She is hit or miss, while she could be one of the most outstanding bar workers and gymnasts on our team. I will address this personally in her individual workouts this week. She has the capability of being a difference maker on our team."

There continued to be no stopping LSU senior Susan Jackson, who won the all-around with an NCAA season high 39.725, tying a school record for most consecutive AA wins. Jackson picked up the individual titles on vault (9.95), uneven bars (9.925) and floor (9.95) and was second on beam to Alabama sophomore Ashley Priess (9.925).

Sometimes an unexpected loss is just the kick in the pants a team needs. Alabama will remember this meet as post-season competition looms. (LSUSports.net)

Utah vs. Arizona State @ Utah: Utah 196.475, Arizona State 195.7. Utah senior Daria Bijak, who insists on leadoff positions even though she has higher scoring capability than some in Utah's lineup, has finally been coaxed to give up being first on vault. It didn't seem to matter, anyway -- the German Olympian won the all-around for the second week straight (39.4) and also took home the uneven bars title (9.9). Junior Kyndal Robarts won vault (9.925) and senior Annie DiLuzio won floor (9.875) and beam (9.875, tying career high). Despite its loss, this was also a good meet for ASU, a team in rebuilding mode. Their 195.7 is a new season high. (UtahUtes.cstv.com)

Florida vs. North Carolina State, George Washington @ North Carolina State: Florida 195.475, North Carolina State 194.45, George Washington did not compete due to inclement weather that prevented travel. Florida freshman Ashanée Dickerson continues to be the top gymnast on Florida's roster, sharing top honors on two events with her teammates. Dickerson and Maranda Smith were the vault champions (9.85), while Dickerson and fellow freshman Liz Green won beam (9.825). Senior Amanda Castillo and British import Marissa King shared the uneven bars title (9.85, career high for King), while North Carolina State's Taylor Seaman had the top mark on floor exercise (9.9). NC State's Brooke Barr won the all-around (38.925), with King second (38.85) and Dickerson a suprising third (38.7) after a mistake on bars. (GatorZone.com)

Auburn vs. Arkansas @ Arkansas: Arkansas 197.025, Auburn 196.425. It was a career night for the Arkansas program. Their eight-year-old SEC gymnastics team had never broken 197 in competition before, but set a new high at home as they defeated no. 16 Auburn. Senior Casey Jo Magee won the all-around for Arkansas with a 39.625 and also captured the titles on bars (9.925) and beam (9.95, tied career high). The floor title Magee shared with sophomore star Jaime Pisani, who also won vault (9.95, career high). (ArkansasRazorbacks.com)

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Texas Women's @ Oklahoma: Oklahoma 196.825, Nebraska 196.225, Texas Women's 192.575. With its victory Friday night, Oklahoma reamins undefeated in team competition, and 2003 World uneven bars co-champion Hollie Vise remains undefeated on her specialty. The 196.825 was the Sooners's season high even though the team had to count a fall on balance beam. Vise continued her dominance on that bars, scoring 9.9 to lead all competitors, while senior Jackie Flanery shared the vault title with Nebraska junior Erin Davis, one of two NCAA gymnasts to have recorded a perfect 10 on vault this season (9.9). OU sophomore Megan Ferguson won balance beam (9.925) and Kristin Smith took the floor title with a 9.95 (career high). The Sooners did not compete any gymnast in all four events, so the all-around title went by default to Nebraska's Maria Scaffidi (39.225). (SoonerSports.com)

Illinois State vs. Ball State @ Illinois State: Illinois State 194.15, Ball State 193.925. Illinois State won the meet, but Ball State had a share in every event title. Ball State's Brittney Emmons, the only gymnast on either team to compete all four events, posted 39.3 in the all-around, won vault (9.875) and tied Ball State's Erica Schick on floor (9.875). Illinois State's Hannah Deutsch shared the beam title with Ball State's Katelyn Busacker (9.825). Bibiana Rodriguez won uneven bars for Ball State (9.875). (GoRedbirds.com)

William & Mary vs. West Virginia, Michigan @ West Virginia: Michigan 196.4, West Virginia 194.475, William & Mary 187.725. Michigan dominated the meet, with four gymnasts sweeping the first place finishes. Solid all-arounder Kylee Botterman was the best overall competitor of the night, etching 39.55 and the first place finishes on uneven bars (9.9), balance beam (9.925) and floor exercise (9.9). Michigan's Natalie Beilstein won vault (9.9). (MGoBlue.com)

Iowa State vs. Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Brockport @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 195.175, Iowa State 195.125, Rutgers 189.3, Brockport 188.35. In a quad meet that really seemed to be Pitt vs. Iowa State and Rutgers vs. Brockport happening in the same gym at the same time, Pitt emerged as the dominant team, earning its season high score in the process. Sophomore Alicia Talucci won the all-around (39.2) and floor exercise (9.85) to lead Pitt. Iowa State came up with the other three top inidividual finishes, including a sweep of the top three places on balance beam, led by Ceilia Maccani and Ashley Kent's 9.85s. Jacquelyn Holmes won uneven bars (9.825) and Shea Anderson was the top scorer on vault (9.85). (PittsburghPanthers.com)

Utah State vs. BYU, Denver @ BYU: Denver 195.05, BYU 194.975, Utah State 190.475. DU sophomore Brianna Artemev was the meet's top all-around gymnast (39.125) and also shared the bars title with BYU's McKell Merkley and Megan Donehue (9.825). Denver's Kelley Hannigan shared the vault title with BYU's Natalie Eyre, and Donehue also won beam (9.85). Springer also tied for first on floor with BYU's Jennifer Lezeu (9.875). (DenverPioneers.com)

Seattle Pacific vs. UC Davis @ Davis: Davis 194.25, Seattle Pacific 188.55. Seattle Pacific recorded a season high in team competition, but this meet clearly belonged to Davis, whose gymnasts swept all the first place finishes. Katie Yamamura won the all-around (38.825) and tied teammate Michelle Bobonski for first place on vault (9.75). Erika van Dyke won balance beam (9.775) and floor exercise (9.8), while Lida Gehlen was the top scorer on uneven bars (9.875). (SPUFalcons.com)

Centenary vs. Southeast Missouri @ Centenary: Results are not yet available.

Here's what's happening tonight in NCAA gymnastics:

New Hampshire vs. Missouri @ Missouri
Wisconsin-Whitewater vs. Wisconsin-Stout @ Wisconsin-Whitewater
Kent State vs. Southern Utah @ Southern Utah
Rhode Island College vs. Yale, Ithaca, Bridgeport, Southern Connecticut @ Southern Connecticut
Winona State vs. Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus, Minnesota @ Minnesota (Best of Minnesota)
Illinois vs. Penn State @ Penn State
Ohio State vs. Iowa @ Iowa
Temple vs. Penn, Wilson, Ursinus, Towson, West Chester @ Temple (Liberty Classic)
UIC vs. Bowling Green State @ UIC

Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer.