DENTON, Texas (Jan. 8) – The TWU gymnastics team opened its 2016 season against the three-time defending NCAA Champion Florida in front of a crowd of 780.  The No. 2 Gators captured the dual meet with a 196.825 while the Pioneers finished with a 191.450.
 
TWU opened the meet on vault and scored a 47.825.  Freshman Megan Gentry made her collegiate debut and led the Pioneers with a 9.750 while junior Katie Simpson scored a 9.725.
 
In the second rotation TWU scored a 47.375 on bars led by Simpson with a 9.750.  Freshman Jenna Cashmore scored a 9.725 in her first collegiate meet.
 
The Pioneers posted a 48.400 on beam in the third rotation with three gymnasts scoring a 9.700 or better.  Sophomore Taylor Vincent posted a career-high 9.825 to lead the team while sophomore Schyler Jones scored a 9.775 and sophomore Alyssa Kelly finished with a 9.700.
 
In the final rotation on floor TWU scored a 47.850.  Freshman Erin Alderman was the team leader with a 9.700 in her first collegiate performance.  Jones scored a 9.650 and was the only Pioneers to compete as an all-arounder.  She finished with a score of 38.100.
 
"It's awesome to have Florida come in here to compete and I love having top ranked teams come in here," said TWU head coach Lisa Bowerman.  "The girls fed off the energy, the excitement and the hype and they did a good job.  We had some exciting performances tonight, we had lot of new faces out there and lot of new routines but as a whole we would have liked to be more consistent.  That's where our focus is going to be next week."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they head north to Norman, OK, to compete in a tri-meet against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 14 California on Friday, Jan. 15.  The meet is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Lloyd Noble Center.
 
Team Scores:
1) Florida – 196.825 (VT: 49.025, UB: 49.175, BB: 49.425, FX: 49.200)
2) TWU – 191.450 (VT: 47.825, UB: 47.375, BB, 48.400, FX: 47.850)

Individual Scores:
VAULT: Cashmore 9.575, Moredock 8.900, Lazarus 9.125, Simpson 9.725, Gentry 9.750, Jones 9.650
BARS: Gentry 9.200, Versemann 8.850, Jones 9.025, Kelly 9.675, Cashmore 9.725, Simpson 9.750
BEAM: Moredock 9.650, Simpson 9.050, Gentry 9.450, Kelly 9.700, Jones 9.775, Vincet 9.825
FLOOR: Versemann 9.375, Kelly 9.525, Moredock 9.600, Alderman 9.700, Jones 9.650, Jaranowski 8.825

ALL-AROUND: Jones 38.100