FORT WORTH, Texas — The Gators had survived and advanced, their No. 1 priority on Thursday night. In an eventful NCAA semifinal, Florida finished second to Utah for a berth in Saturday's four-team national championship.
The night's big story for the national media in town for the event was No. 1 Oklahoma's stunning exit. The Sooners committed three costly landing errors on vault in the first rotation and never recovered, their bid for a third consecutive national championship dead soon after arrival.
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Before leaving her post-meet press conference, Gators head coach
Jenny Rowland lingered for a couple of minutes. Rowland was ready to return to the team hotel following an emotional night. The No. 4-seed Gators, vying for the program's first national championship since 2015, had once again found a way to get the job done to keep their season alive.
They will join Utah, Cal and LSU at Dickies Arena on Saturday afternoon for a shot to win it all. The field speaks to the uncertainty that looms over each routine this time of year.
"Anything can happen,'' Rowland said.
Oklahoma's early departure proved that.
Florida is the most recent national champion remaining. No. 5 Utah won its last national title in 1995, while No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Cal seek their first crown. Less than half a point separated the four finalists in the semifinals.
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The Gators efficiently went about their business in the semifinal to advance to the NCAA Championship for the fourth consecutive season. The Gators finished runner-up to the Sooners the past two seasons, but this year's team is minus former superstar
Trinity Thomas (eligibility expired) and
Kayla DiCello (gap year to train for the Paris Olympics).
The Gators had a strong team returning, but most projected them a year away from contending for a national title.
Rewrite those expectations because they're still standing in a wide-open championship meet. They also have experience.
"I think we do really have a great advantage,'' said junior
Leanne Wong. "A lot of us veterans on the team, we've been through the national championships. We know what needs to be done and what it's like to be there. We just have to keep doing what we've been doing."
LSU is perhaps considered the favorite on Saturday, posting the highest score (198.1125) in the semifinals among the four teams left. Utah (197.9375) was second, followed by Florida (197.8750) and Cal (197.7125).
Still, the Gators match up well with the others. They beat LSU at the O'Dome on Feb. 23, and in the NCAA Gainesville Regional earlier this month, Florida defeated runner-up Utah by posting its best score (198.325) of the season. LSU got revenge at the SEC Championships last month by winning the title, with Florida finishing fourth.
"It's the top four teams in the country, so it's going to be tough,'' Wong said.
Texas native
Sloane Blakely and Wong were part of the UF teams that finished second the past two years. They are eager to get over the hump and deliver Rowland her first national championship.
"I know that last year, Day 2, we went out there and was on fire,'' Blakely said. "We were ourselves. Although we didn't get the result we wanted, we were really good. We just have to take that same mindset.
"Winning it would mean just the world to everyone."
The most impressive feat for the Gators on Thursday was limiting their miscues. NCAA regional star
Ellie Lazzari struggled on bars and fell on the beam, but both scores were dropped because her teammates delivered clutch performances. Lazzari contributed, too, with a 9.9250 on vault that trailed only Wong's 9.9375.
As Rowland departed Dickies Arena near midnight Thursday, her outlook had not changed from when the Gators boarded their flight for Texas. It was true in the semifinals, and it will be true on Saturday with a national championship on the line.
The Gators don't have to be perfect, but they have to be ready. They must be able to a short memory if something goes wrong.
Nothing less will do.
"One hundred percent, it will be nothing but the best," Rowland said. "The best is different every year. It's the team that makes the least amount of mistakes. Mistakes are going to be made.
"How do we handle those mistakes?"
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