Vicky Graff Photos
Just when you think junior Delaynee Rodriguez cannot continue the success she’s been having, she proves she can indeed stay on a roll.
Kentucky (1-7, 1-3 SEC) lost 196.825-196.800 to No. 7 Missouri Friday night in Memorial Coliseum but the junior from Las Vegas had another career night for coach Tim Garrison.
Rodriguez set or matched career highs on vault, bars, and in the all-around while winning all three events at Auburn in UK’s previous match. All she did against Missouri, which won at Florida last week, was put up career-high marks of 9.950 on uneven bars and floor exercise to win both events.
Even though Missouri did not have an all-around competitor to challenge Rodriguez, she compiled a 39.500 to claim her fifth all-around title in six meets this season. She came into the meet ranked fifth nationally in all-around and now has 11 event wins this season.
Sophomore Chesney Bennett and freshman Gabby Van Frayen were also event winners. Both matched their career highs of 9.990 on beam to share first. It was Bennett’s first collegiate win and the second straight for Van Frayen.
Kentucky trailed from the start but had its best scores of the meet on balance beam and floor to get back into contention. All-American Cresyln Brose needed a 10 on the meet’s final routine to give UK the win and almost did it with a 9.950 on floor exercise. It was Brose’s third straight floor win.
Kentucky matched its season best score with a 49.200 for the second straight meet on balance beam. Junior Cecily Rizo led off with a 9.750, followed by Brose matching her season best of 9.875.Bennett and Van Frayen performed back-to-back 9.900 routines, posting the highest scores of the night. Rodriguez closed the rotation with a 9.775.
On floor, Kentucky posted a 49.400— its third straight meet with at least a 49.350. Van Frayen matched her career high in the leadoff position with a 9.850. Bennett put up a 9.800 and Callie Gardner posted a 9.850—the third straight week the sophomore has scored at least a 9.850.. Rizo added a 9.750 before Rodriguez and Brose closed the meet with back-to-back 9.950 scores to share the event title.
“It was such an awesome feeling,” Rodriguez said about UK’s floor performance. “Creslyn is amazing. We are having so much fun. We showed a lot of grit tonight. We had a few struggles but we came back.
“We have a young team and I think experience is super important. We have a really good team. Getting in front of a crowd helps the girls become more confident.”
It does but at this point, no one at Kentucky has more confidence than Rodriguez as her event titles keep increasing.
