On Sunday afternoon, while the Diamond Dogs were completing their sweep of Quinnipiac to earn a No. 1 national ranking, the top-ranked Gym Dogs were on the opposite side of the continent tangling with No. 6 U.C.L.A.. Georgia triumphed over the Bruins to remain perfect for the season.
On the uneven bars in the first rotation, the Red and Black received scores of 9.8 from Marcia Newby, 9.85 from Kathryn Ding, 9.9 from Grace Taylor, 9.925 from Gina Nuccio, and 9.95 from Courtney Kupets to card a 49.425 in the event. This gave Georgia the early lead over U.C.L.A., which received a 49.375 in the vault.
The opposing squads swapped sides in the second rotation, where the Gym Dogs compiled another cumulative 49.425 in the vault on the strength of a 9.925 from Kupets and a 9.95 from Hilary Mauro. The Bruins continued to trail with a 49.2 on the bars.
The Red and Black opened the third rotation with consecutive 9.825s from Abby Stack and Newby in the floor exercise and those scores were improved upon by Mauro and Cassidy McComb (each with a 9.875), Taylor (with a 9.925), and Kupets (with a 9.975) along the way to an overall 49.475. Due to a pair of falls, the home team managed only a 48.175 on the balance beam.
Mauro got the fourth rotation off to a good start for the Gym Dogs by earning a 9.925 on her beam routine, but Courtney McCool’s ensuing 10 cemented a 49.4 for the Peach State visitors. U.C.L.A.’s 49.375 in the floor exercise could not measure up, so, although the Bruins earned a respectable 196.125, Georgia was dominant with a 197.725. Courtney Kupets again claimed the all-around crown with a 39.65.
The Gym Dogs close out their regular season at Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday before beginning postseason play in the league championships in Nashville on March 21.
Go ‘Dawgs!