South Coast Times

The No. 7 Alabama gymnastics team opened the 2023 season with a 196.975- 196.550 win over No. 12 Michigan State Friday night in Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide hit 24 of 24 routines without a fall in the opener and won every single event, posting the program's second-highest score for a season opener.

Seniors Luisa Blanco and Makarri Doggette combined for all four event titles and finished as the top two in the all-around. Blanco won the all-around with a 39.575, taking home the event titles on balance beam (9.900) and floor exercise (9.925). Makarri Doggette, competing in the all-around for the first time since her freshman year, finished with a 39.375 and won both the vault (9.900) and uneven bars (9.900).

Making her debut in Coleman Coliseum, freshman Gabby Gladieux impressed as she posted a 9.900 on floor exercise in the final rotation to push Alabama to a 49.250 total and seal the win. The rookie also posted scores of 9.825 on both vault and balance beam in the meet.

Head Coach Ashley Johnston said

"I'm really proud of this team. Our goal tonight was to commit to the approach. I didn't want to get distracted with the score, with the win or the loss or with the little things on the way. I just wanted everybody to go out there and commit to their approach, meaning their mental cues, their breathing and the pre-meet rituals that they know help them be successful on each event. I feel like we accomplished that goal, and this win was a great starting point for us. I am excited about our girls that were able to get out there in the all-around. Luisa was a rockstar and did a fabulous job. Makarri Doggette stepped up as the leading scorer on vault and bars to help us get a strong start to the meet. Lilly (Hudson) is a rock and showed her fighting spirit out there. Freshman Gabby Gladieux showed why she's one of the best gymnasts in the country in the three events she performed tonight. Overall, we will celebrate the things we did well, and will go back to work to improve the details and be undeniable as we move through the upcoming weeks."

Inside the Score Sheet

• The Crimson Tide won all four events, totaling rotation scores of 49.325 on vault, 49.275 on the uneven bars, 49.125 on balance beam and 49.250 on floor exercise
• Alabama began the meet on vault with all six gymnasts scoring a 9.850 or higher to establish an early lead, led by a 9.900 from Makarri Doggette
• The Tide totaled five scores of 9.900 or higher on the night, with Doggette on vault (9.900) and bars (9.900), Luisa Blanco on balance beam (9.900), and Gabby Gladieux (9.900) and Blanco on floor exercise (9.925)
• Blanco took home the all-around title with a 39.575, posting a 9.875-or-higher on all of her routines
• Doggette competed in the all-around for the first time since Feb. 7, 2020, and for just the second time in her career, totaling a 39.375 to finish runner-up to Blanco
• Lilly Hudson also competed in the all-around, totaling a 39.200, combining with Doggette and Blanco to account for 12 of the Tide's 24 routines
• Gladieux competed three events in her debut, posting a 9.900 on floor exercise, a 9.825 on vault and a 9.825 on balance beam
• Alabama's score of 196.975 is its second highest score for a season opener in program history (197.150 vs. Missouri on Jan. 10, 2014)
• The event marked coaching debut for Ashley Johnston, who was hired as the seventh head coach in program history last May

Up Next

• Alabama heads out on the road, traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. CT
• The meet will be broadcast live on SEC Network
• The Crimson Tide then returns home to compete against the Florida Gators on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Coleman Coliseum. The meet, which features the two most recent SEC Champions, will air live on ESPNU.

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Original source can be found here