Special to the Sun
COLUMBIA, Mo. — No. 5 Florida gymnastics team lost 196.925-196.70 to No. 20 Missouri on Friday in front of a Hearnes Center crowd of 1,811. It was the first loss for UF in the 23 all-time meetings between the two programs.
The Gators started Friday’s competition with a solid uneven bars rotation. Alex McMurtry took the win at 9.95. Sophomore Rachel Gowey took third at 9.90.
McMurtry also took the event title on the Gators’ next rotation with her vault mark of 9.925.
Marks of 9.925 from Alicia Boren and Alyssa Baumann led the Gators on floor to share the evening’s event title. The Gators were forced to count a fall on floor exercise when Gowey and Jazmyn Foberg both had trouble on their second tumbling passes. The Gators went into the final rotation trailing the Tigers (6-6, 2-5 SEC) by 0.075.
No falls were recorded in UF’s balance beam rotation, but enough wobbles and breaks dinged the Gators’ scoring potential on the final rotation. Florida’s beam scores couldn’t keep up with Missouri’s floor marks, as no score lower than 9.825 counted toward the Tigers’ floor total. McMurtry anchored Florida’s beam lineup with the evening’s winning mark of 9.95. Boren was second on beam at 9.925.
Boren claimed her fifth consecutive all-around at 39.50.
Florida (7-2, 5-2) was without two lineup regulars Friday. Kennedy Baker underwent surgery Monday to repair her torn Achilles tendon suffered in the Feb. 23 dual versus Arkansas. Rachel Slocum was left behind in Gainesville due to a virus.
Football: Florida kickers Johnny Townsend and Eddy Pineiro had their on-field workouts at the NFL Combine on Friday, concluding their time in Indianapolis.
For the four other former Gators at the Combine, it’s going to be a busy few days.
Today, wide receiver Antonio Callaway will have his on-field workout, defensive tackle Taven Bryan will take a psych test, do the bench and go through interviews, while cornerback Duke Dawson and safety Marcell will get their measurements, take a medical exam and go through interviews.
Bryan will have his on-field workout Sunday, while Dawson and Harris will take the psych test, do the bench press and go through interviews.
Dawson and Harris have their on-field workouts on Monday.
— Robbie Andreu
Softball: Florida was scheduled to play Michigan State and Charlotte on day two of the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California, but due to weather conditions across the country and in Fullerton, both games were cancelled.
The Gators (18-1) opened the Classic with a pair of wins Thursday over Loyola Marymount, 13-0, and host Cal State Fullerton, 10-0, both in five innings.
Up next for No. 2 Florida is a matchup against No. 8 Baylor at 1 p.m. ET Saturday.
Men’s tennis: At Ring Tennis Complex, Florida opened SEC play with a 4-2 win over Georgia. Oliver Crawford clinched the match for the Gators (6-4) over the Bulldogs (6-3) with a singles win on Court 4.
