This is Georgia’s fourth straight year to win its preliminary round, and the Gym Dogs remain the only team to be represented in every Super Six since the start of the current championship format in 1993.
Also joining Georgia from the second session will be Utah (196.950) and Stanford (196.900).
Florida (196.900),
Alabama (196.650) and
LSU (196.575) advanced out of the first session.
“Tomorrow is the night,” Georgia head coach Suzanne Yoculan said. “Utah beat us at the beginning of the season, they have improved a ton and there are a lot of other teams here. I’m not guaranteeing anything for tomorrow. We gave 100 percent tonight and I hope we can get the adrenaline back up. We had a peak performance with the exception of three mistakes. We can’t do a whole lot more.”
Georgia opened with a 49.350 on balance beam, matching the score from last year’s prelims on beam. Katie Heenan’s 9.95 was a meet-high and ties her personal-best NCAA beam score from the 2005 Super Six. Grace Taylor’s 9.900 on beam matched her score from the 2007 prelims on that event. Both earned first-team All-America status for their performances.
Georgia’s vault score of 49.375 was its fourth highest this year. Marcia Newby’s 9.950 was a career-high and tied for the meet’s highest vault score as well. It was the second straight year Newby is a First-Team All-American on vault, as her 9.900 at last year’s prelims was also a career high.
The Gym Dogs posted a 49.400 on floor paced by Tiffany Tolnay’s 9.925. Courtney McCool and Cassidy McComb both scored a 9.900.
Georgia continued to excel on bars with a third straight score of 49.500. Four of the six Gym Dog bar workers posted 9.900s or better, including Nikki Childs’ 9.900 in the leadoff spot to tie a career high for the senior.
Gym Dogs earning All-American honors from the session include Marcia Newby (vault), Katie Heenan (all-around, vault, bars, beam), Cassidy McComb (floor), Courtney McCool (floor), Tiffany Tolnay (all-around ,bars, beam, floors), Nikki Childs (bars), Grace Taylor (bears, beam, floor) and Hilary Mauro (beam).
Georgia will start the Super Six on floor in the first rotation followed by vault in the second rotation, bars in the fourth rotation and beam on the fifth rotation. The Gym Dogs will have byes in the third and sixth rotations.
SCORING
Team Competition
1. Georgia – 197.625 (VT – 49.375; UB – 49.500; BB - 49.350; FX – 49.400)
2. Utah – 196.950 (VT – 49.400; UB – 49.300; BB – 49.050; FX – 49.200)
3. Stanford – 196.900 (VT – 49.200; UB – 49.325; BB – 49.200; FX – 49.175)
4. UCLA – 196.725 (VT – 49.250; UB – 49.475; BB – 48.800; FX – 49.200)
5. Michigan – 196.075 (VT – 48.950; UB – 49.375; BB - ; FX – 49.100)
6. Denver – 194.200 (VT – 48.625; UB – 48.850; BB – 47.950; FX – 48.775)
Georgia Competitors
Vault: Paige Burns – 9.775; Lauren Sessler – 9.850; Marcia Newby – 9.950; Cassidy McComb – 9.85; Katie Heenan – 9.900; Tiffany Tolnay – 9.825
Bars: Nikki Childs – 9.900; Cassidy McComb – 9.875; Courtney McCool – 9.875; Grace Taylor – 9.925; Katie Heenan – 9.900
Beam: Hilary Mauro – 9.850; Nikki Childs – 9.775; Tiffany Tolnay – 9.875; Grace Taylor – 9.900; Katie Heenan – 9.950; Courtney McCool – 9.750
Floor: Abby Stack – 9.800; Grace Taylor – 9.875; Cassidy McComb – 9.900; Tiffany Tolnay – 9.925; Katie Heenan – 9.775; Courtney McCool – 9.900
SIX TEAMS TO ADVANCE TO TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Teams Advancing to Finals (Thursday's Score)
Georgia (197.625)
Utah (196.950)
Florida (196.900)
Stanford (196.900)
Alabama (196.650)
LSU (196.575)
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