UA gymnasts out to shake struggles

— The Arkansas gymnastics team had little time to wallow in last week’s balance beam debacle that led to a stunning home loss to BYU.

The No. 15 Razorbacks (4-3,, 4-1 SEC) jump right backinto SEC action tonight against powerhouse No. 1 Florida (11-0, 5-0).

Arkansas Co-Coach Rene Cook said the Razorbacks had a “ soulsearching weekend” after Arkansas’ lead against BYU melted with two falls from the beam followed by the first two performers on the floor scoring poorly.

“We put our own obstacles in our way and weren’t able to overcome them,” Cook said.

Arkansas’ lack of polish, which didn’t prove costly during a four-meet winning streak against SEC competition, kept the team scores muted, then led to the disaster against the Cougars. Coaches put the upperclassmen in charge of practice routines this week in an effort to prod the Razorbacks into stronger performances.

“We’re just struggling,” junior Jaime Pisani said after the BYU meet. “We can’t all get it toether at the same time.”

Pisani has done her part with five all-around titles among her 14 victories this season. Freshman all-arounder Katherine Grable, juniors Mariah Howdeshell and Genny Salvatore, and sophomore all-arounder Jordan Salsberg have added another seven titles.

“We’ve still got to figure out what we want this season to be, and we haven’t done that yet,” said Salvatore, who captured a bars victory last week in her second meet back from a serious of knee surgeries.

Cook anticipated the Razorbacks would make a lineup change on every event this week, based on a mid-week intrasquad showing.

While Arkansas has an average score of 195.179 and hasn’t eclipsed the 196 mark yet, Florida is averaging 197.078. The Gators, led by Coach Rhonda Faehn, are an early favorite to capture their first NCAA gymnastics championship.

They have six of the top-12 scores in the country and lead the nation in scoring on all four events.

“Florida is obviously fantastic,” Cook said. “They’re still No. 1 in the country by leaps and bounds. We have to be competitive with them, but at the same time we have our own job to do.

“If we do our job, we will be competitive with them.”

Arkansas has a precedent in lodging a big upset against the Gators. The last time the teams competed in Barnhill Arena, the No. 8 Razorbacks scored a 196.375 to 195.425 upset over the top-ranked Gators.

No team has come within a full point of Florida this year, with Georgia coming the closest at 197.725 to 196.6.

Florida is led by all-arounders Alaina Johnson, who has posted a 39.675, Ashanee Dickerson and Mackenzie Caquatto, who have both scored 39.575.

TONIGHT’S MEET

No. 1 Florida at

No. 15 Arkansas WHEN 7 p.m. Central WHERE Barnhill Arena, Fayetteville RECORDS Florida 11-0 (5-0 SEC); Arkansas 4-3 (4-1) NOTEWORTHY Florida leads the series 23-1, but Arkansas won the last time the teams faced off in Barnhill Arena with a 196.375 to 195.425 victory over the No.

1 Gators. Arkansas’ Jaime Pisani, who scored 9.925 on the floor exercise last week, is ranked No. 3 on the floor and No. 6 in the all-around. Arkansas freshman Katherine Grable is No. 17 on the floor and No. 25 in the all-around.

Sports, Pages 15 on 02/25/2011

Upcoming Events