BATON ROUGE — The 14th-ranked LSU gymnastics team scored season highs on each event Friday night in a 196.625-193.750 victory over eighth-ranked Denver in the Tigers home opener at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
LSU started quickly on the vault with a 49.025 led by April Burkholder’s 9.925, which was good enough to win the event. She just edged out Ashley Shible’s 9.900 for the title.
While the Tigers were scoring high on vault, the Pioneers suffered two falls on the uneven bars en route to a 48.600 first rotation score.
Katherine Hilton stole the show in the second rotation as she scored a 9.925 on the bars in her first collegiate competition to win the event. Her score paced the Tigers who posted a 49.375. Meanwhile, led by Shible’s vault score, Denver scored a 48.925 to stay within striking distance, 98.400-97.525.
The Pioneers cut into LSU’s lead in rotation three by scoring a 49.325 on the floor while the Tigers mustered a 48.850 on the balance beam. Emily Bankhead scored a 9.95 to share the floor title and four other Denver gymnasts ended up with a 9.8 or better.
After falling off the beam three times in last week’s loss to Auburn, LSU managed to keep everybody on the beam. However, no Tiger was spectacular enough to do better than a 9.825, leading to the team score.
Trailing by just four-tenths of a point heading into the final rotation, Denver lost its composure and fell four times off the beam, leading to a low 46.900 on the even.
While the Pioneers were struggling, LSU shined on the floor with a season high 49.375. Burkholder scored an Tiger season-best 9.95 to win her second title of the night and 11th of the year. Jade Jenkins was nearly as good with a 9.90.
LSU returns to action in a Southeastern Conference battle with Florida on Friday at 7 p.m. at the PMAC.
-agate to follow-
Final Score
LSU (6-1) — 196.625
Denver (3-2) — 193.750
Vault — Megan Durning, 9.775; Jade Jenkins, 9.700; Lauren Companioni, 9.800; Rikki L’Heureux, 9.800; Brittany Brown, 9.725; April Burkholder, 9.925; (Exh) Lindsey Thompson, 9.650.
Team Total — 49.025
Uneven Bars — Rikki L’Heureux, 9.825; Annie Gagnon, 9.850; Kelly Lea, 9.875; Lindsay Beddow, 9.900; April Burkholder, 9.375; Katherine Hilton, 9.925.
Team Total — 49.375
Balance Beam — Lindsay Beddow, 9.750; Lauren Companioni, 9.825; Megan Durning, 9.800; Jade Jenkins, 9.750; Terin Martinjak, 9.725; April Burkholder, 9.425.
Team Total — 48.850
Floor Exercise — Chelsea Richard, 9.850; Lauren Companioni, 9.750; Jade Jenkins, 9.900; Rachel Franzella, 9.850; Brittany Brown, 9.825; April Burkholder, 9.950; (Exh.) Lindsay Thompson, .
Team Total — 49.375
All-Around — April Burkholder, 38.675.
Denver Scores
Team Total — 193.750
Vault — Michelle Kasuga, 9.675; Jessica Kennedy, 9.750; Emily Bankhead, 9.850; Karyssa Ancellotti, 9.825; Ashley Shible, 9.325; Cassidy Willingham, 9.250.
Team Total — 48.925
Uneven Bars — Lindsay Fitzgerald, 9.050; Rose Kiernan, 9.800; Jessica Kennedy, 9.750; Ashley Shible, 9.325; Michelle Kasuga, 9.875; Emily Bankhead, 9.850; (Exh.) Stephanie Lorber, 9.725.
Team Total — 48.600
Balance Beam — Rose Kiernan, 9.200; Karyssa Ancellotti, 9.275; Jamie Martini, 8.875; Ashley Shible, 8.725; Emily Bankhead, 9.725; Michelle Kasuga, 9.825; (Exh.) Cassidy Willingham, 9.800.
Team Total — 46.900
Floor Exercise — Cassidy Willingham, 9.800; Jessica Kennedy, 9.825; Karyssa Ancellotti, 9.725; Ashley Shible, 9.875; Emily Bankhead, 9.950; Michelle Kasuga, 9.875.
Team Total — 49.325.
All-Around — Emily Bankhead, 39.300; Michelle Kasuga, 39.250; Ashley Shible, 37.975.
Attn.: 2,048