BATON ROUGE — The eighth-ranked LSU gymnastics team heads west on Saturday after posting back-to-back wins at home over top five teams, as the Tigers take on No. 15 Denver in the Mile High City.
It marks LSU’s first visit to Denver, a team the Tigers soundly defeated in Baton Rouge a year ago, 195.450-194.275. Denver went on to qualify for the NCAA Championships last season, however, and will present a difficult challenge for the Tigers.
“We know we’re going in to face an experienced, talented team,” said Breaux. “They made the NCAA Championship field a year so they were one of the top 12 teams in the country and we’ll have to be at our best. They went to Alabama this year and nearly pulled the upset in Tuscaloosa, so we know we’ll have our hands full.
“We’ve got to be able to put together a good road score. We’ve been very strong at home, but we’ve got to get it done on the road now.”
It has been a tale of two teams for the Tigers at home and on the road so far this season. LSU has yet to dip under the 196-point barrier in three home meets, but put together a pair of sub-par performances in their two road competitions.
In each case on the road, the Tigers dug themselves in a hole early and were forced to play catch-up. Breaux knows her team needs to answer the bell on Saturday night right off the bat.
“In our two road meets we struggled and came out flat on both occasions,” said Breaux. “I think we’ve shown everyone what kind of team we are when we put it all together for four rotations so that’s our goal this weekend, to come out firing and not put ourselves behind from the start.”
LSU owns a 4-0 all-time mark in the series between the two schools.
With All-American Nicki Arnstad a question mark once again with a mid-foot sprain, LSU will turn to senior leaders Marina Degteva, Beth Boudreaux and Sharene Mamby, as well as underclassmen Lauren Companioni and Kristin Uranksy who have stepped up through the first five meets.
Degteva and Boudreaux have each earned SEC Gymnast of the Week honors over the past two weeks.
The Denver meet marks LSU’s fifth consecutive dual meet against a ranked opponent. LSU has yet to face an unranked opponent this season. Following the Tigers meet at Denver, they return home for meets with No. 20 Iowa on Feb. 22 and No. 23 Kentucky on March 1.