GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It was a tale of two different meets for the 11th-ranked LSU gymnastics team on Friday night at the Super Six Challenge in Gainesville, Fla.
The first meet saw the Tigers get off to a disastrous start, falling well behind the competition after two rotations. The second saw the Tigers explode behind a 10.0 on floor from Nicki Arnstad to score better than 49.0 on each of their last rotations and finish fifth overall in a competition that brought together six of the nation?s top 12 teams.
Second-ranked Georgia won the competition with a score of 196.525, while fourth-ranked Alabama edged No. 1UCLA for second place, 195.725-195.650.
Fourth-ranked Florida finished in fourth place and 12th-ranked Penn State in sixth.
“The first half of the meet we acted like it was our first meet, we simply didn’t respond when the other teams did,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “I’m glad we were able to get a bye, regroup and respond the way we did.
The second half of the meet we were as good as anyone there.
“I think responding the way we did will give us some momentum heading into next week, but we need to be able to work hard all week and put it together for four rotations not two. I know we are a good team and I know we’re the team we saw the second half of this meet.”
The Tigers dug themselves into a hole at the midway point, struggling on bars. After a bye, they redeemed themselves on floor to climb back into the competition in their third rotation.
Arnstad capped off an impressive 49.375 rotation with the first perfect score by a Tiger on floor since 1991. Arnstad’s 10.0 came just moments after Marina Degteva electrified the Stephen C. O?Connell Center crowd of 6,185 with a 9.95 that had put her in the lead in the individual floor competition.
Arnstad’s perfect score was the first by a Tiger in any event since teammate Sharene Mamby posted a 10.0 on bars in a victory over Denver a year ago. It was only the seventh perfect score in any event in school history.
“It was that good,” added Breaux. “To get a score like that on the road and with this level of competition speaks volumes for how good it was. Nicki is an All-American on floor and tonight she proved why.”
LSU also received scores of 9.875 from junior Brooke Cazeuax and 9.825 from freshman Lauren Companioni.
The Tigers followed that with another impressive showing, scoring a 49.175 on vault to close out the competition. Marina Degteva won the event with a personal best score of 9.95, while Kristin Uransky matched her career best with a score of 9.925.
The Tigers struggled in the first rotation, putting themselves in a hole early with a 48.125 on bars, one of the Tigers? top events a year ago. The Tigers were forced to count a fall, but got scores of 9.80 from Beth Boudreaux, 9.775 from Mamby and 9.725 from Cazeaux to give them a boost.
As the Tigers moved to the second rotation, their struggles continued.
Boudreaux scored a 9.725 on beam, but the Tigers were forced to count two falls as they registered a 47.150 on the second rotation.
Highlights from the Super Six Challenge will be broadcast by ESPN on a tape-delayed basis on Jan. 27 from 4:30-6 p.m. CT.
LSU returns to action on Friday evening at 7 p.m. when Auburn comes to the Maravich Assembly Center for the 2002 home opener.
Results from the Super Six Challenge
January 11, 2002
Stephen C. O’Connell Center
Gainesville, Fla.
Team Scoring
1, Georgia, 196.525. 2, Alabama, 195.725.3, UCLA, 195.650. 4, Florida, 194.600. 5, LSU, 193.825. 6, Penn State, 193.375.