No. 7 Alabama Gymnastics Downs No. 6 Arkansas, 197.325-197.000

The Crimson Tide moves to 6-1 on the season heading into its regular-season finale at home against Florida

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 7-ranked Alabama gymnastics team used its highest road score of the season  to down No. 6 Arkansas on the road at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday night, 197.325-197.000. 

The Crimson Tide moved to 6-1 overall, while the Razorbacks dropped to 2-5.

Luisa Blanco kept her extraordinary run of meets going, winning the all-around with a score of 39.550, while also taking top honors on the vault with a 9.900.

Alabama closed out the meet with a 49.550 on the balance beam, led by a career-best tying 9.950 from Lexi Graber. 

“I extremely happy with how our beam rotation closed out the meet," Alabama head coach Dana Duckworth said. "I can’t say enough about the way they handled the pressure of having Arkansas on our heels. They stayed focused on what they do every day. 

"That was our best beam performance, I believe, since 2017."

The Tide scored matching 49.325s on the uneven bars and floor exercise. Mati Waligora and Makarri Doggette led the Tide on the uneven bars, with both going 9.900, while Graber posted the Tide’s top mark on the floor exercise with a 9.900.

Alabama posted a 49.125 on the vault led by Blanco’s 9.900.

"Having Sania start us off on floor was a spark moment that really got us fired up," Duckworth continued. "It was great to get Shania back in the floor lineup and I’m so proud of Emily for doing her double layout and of Lexi for doing another great floor routine. 

"I told them right at the end that what we did tonight was the best preparation for the postseason. We will fix the mistakes that we had and continue to add depth. There is room for improvement, but it was a good score on the road."

The Crimson Tide’s 197.325 was its best road score of the season by more than a quarter of a point, and its second highest score of the season overall.

Blanco’s 39.550 in the all-around gives her three-straight scores above 39.500.

The Crimson Tide’s 49.550 on the balance beam to close the meet was its highest on the apparatus since Jan. 20, 2017 at Missouri.

Mati Waligora posted career-best scores on the balance beam (9.925) and uneven bars (9.900).

Alabama will return home to close out the regular season against Florida on Friday, March 6 in Coleman Coliseum. The meet will be broadcast on SEC Network and get underway at 7:30 p.m. CT