BATON ROUGE — The 10th-ranked LSU gymnastics team shattered its school record with an impressive victory over Kentucky, 197.500-194.750 as head coach D-D Breaux picked up the 400th win of her career.
LSU scored over 49.000 in each event for the first time since 2000, while breaking the school record on bars and in the all-around in the process. With the win, LSU improved to 43-3 all-time against the GymKats.
“Reaching 197 is a weight off our shoulders,” said Breaux. “It was a reality check for our girls, they needed to know that we’re really this good. I’ve said all along that this is the best team I’ve ever had and tonight I think they proved it. The level of difficulty and the level that we’re executing at is tremendous right now.”
The score bested the previous mark of 197.150 set in a victory over Illinois-Chicago in 1997. Breaux posted her 285th regular season win to combine with 115 postseason victories.
LSU got off to a strong start on vault, posting a solid score of 49.150, just .050 off its season best. Kristin Uransky started what turned into a fantastic evening with a career-best score of 9.95 to post the third individual vault title of her career and her fifth title overall.
LSU got scores of 9.875 and 9.85 respectively from Shanyn MacEachern and Marina Degteva to help pave the way.
The Tigers turned it up a notch on the bars as the teams moved to the second rotation, shattering the school record in the event. Earlier this season the Tigers had matched the school mark with a 49.550 in their upset victory over Alabama. Friday evening, the Tigers came up with an amazing performance, posting a score of 49.650.
Beth Boudreaux came up with a near perfect personal best score of 9.975, while Degteva and Mamby posted scores of 9.95. Uransky added a 9.90, while Brooke Cazeaux rounded out the record-setting performance with a 9.875.
With a pair of strong rotations, the Tigers grabbed a commanding 98.800-97.050 lead after two rotations, as Kentucky managed only a 48.400 on beam to start and followed that with a 48.650 on vault.
As the Tigers moved to beam, they came up with their second straight near-flawless outing in the event, scoring a 49.325, just off their season best. Boudreaux added her second title of the night to lead the way, matching her season best of 9.925 to pick up her third title of the year in the event.
Nicki Arnstad came up with a solid 9.875, while Adriene Couret and Lauren Companioni each posted identical 9.85s as the Tigers did not count a fall for the second straight week.
“The beam was the pivotal event for us,” added Breaux. “The team that controls the beam usually wins and we were able to do that again tonight. I like the confidence we’re building in that event.”
With only floor remaining and the meet long since decided, LSU entered the floor needing only a 48.875 to reach 197.000 for only the second time in school history and a 49.050 to break the school record. The Tigers more than responded, putting up a 49.375 to easily reach the mark.
Companioni won the floor title for the fourth consecutive week, coming up with a 9.90, her third mark of 9.90 or better in the last four meets. LSU got 9.875s from Boudreaux and Cazeaux to close the door on the finest night in the program’s history.
LSU returns to action on Friday when the Tigers travel to No. 1 Georgia, the second top-ranked team the Tigers have faced this season. LSU upset No. 1 Utah on Feb. 1 and has won three consecutive dual meets against top-ranked opponents dating back to 2000.
Team Scoring
1, LSU, 197.500. 2, Kentucky, 194.750.
Vault
1, LSU, 49.150. 2, Kentucky, 48.650.
Bars
1, LSU, 49.650. 2, Kentucky, 48.400.
Beam
1, LSU, 49.325. 2, Kentucky, 48.400.
Floor
1, LSU, 49.375. 2, Kentucky, 49.300.