The No. 7 Missouri gymnastics team achieved a significant milestone by securing its first-ever victory over the No. 25 Kentucky Wildcats on February 6, 2024. The Tigers triumphed in a closely contested meet, finishing with a score of 196.825 to Kentucky’s 196.800 in Lexington. This win follows Missouri’s historic achievement of defeating No. 2 Florida earlier in the month, marking consecutive record-setting performances for the program.
Missouri’s success was driven by strong performances on vault and bars, where the team outscored their opponents to clinch the narrow victory. The win improved Missouri’s overall record for the season to 6-3 and their conference play record to 2-3.
Sophomore Olivia Kelly delivered a standout performance, achieving a season-high score of 9.875 on bars. Junior Hannah Horton also shone brightly, earning a remarkable 9.925 score on the same apparatus. On vault, redshirt senior Elise Tisler contributed with a score of 9.900, while three other teammates secured scores of 9.825. Horton continued to impress on floor, where she achieved an exceptional score of 9.950. Additionally, sophomore Kaia Tanskanen earned a score of 9.800 on beam, contributing to the team’s overall success.
The Missouri gymnastics team will take a brief hiatus from Southeastern Conference (SEC) competition when they host the Mizzou Quad on February 20, where they will face off against Illinois, Ball State, and Air Force.
In other sports news, the Missouri softball team faced challenges, losing 7-13 to NC State and 5-6 to No. 6/7 UCLA. The baseball team also struggled, incurring a loss of 8-5 against Mount St. Mary’s. In upcoming events, the softball team is scheduled to compete at the Shriners Invitational in Clearwater, Florida, with matches against Northwestern and No. 23 FAU.
As the Missouri Tigers continue to build momentum in gymnastics and other sports, fans are encouraged to follow the team’s progress on various platforms, including social media channels and live broadcasts.
