TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It went down to the final routine in the final rotation Friday night at Coleman Coliseum, but despite a meet-winning 9.975 on the beam by all-around champion April Burkholder, the eighth-ranked LSU gymnastics team fell just short of upsetting No. 4 Alabama, 197.175-197.050.
“I am extremely proud of this team,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “Never have I had a group of athletes stay together, stay as focused as they did and turn in the type of performance like tonight. It was a championship level performance.
“All night it seemed like the better we did, the better Alabama did. I felt like we were playing man to man,” added Breaux. “To be able to finish the way we did is a real confidence booster for this team and I think it is going to pay dividends later in the season.”
The Tigers were exceptional in the first rotation, scoring a 49.175 on the bars to take the early lead over Alabama who recorded a 49.075 on the vault. All-Americans April Burkholder and Annie Gagnon were nearly flawless in their efforts, notching a pair of 9.900s to finish in a two-way tie for second on the event.
Sophomore Lisa Rennie contributed a 9.825, while junior Kelly Lea’s season-high 9.800 and sophomore Nicki Butler’s 9.750 rounded out the Tigers’ scoring on the event.
LSU took its momentum from the bars into the vault in the second rotation, posting a season-high 49.150. Alabama added a 49.225 on the bars to cut into the Tigers’ slim lead, 98.350-98.300.
Individually, sophomore Kelly Phelan and Butler tied for the event title, each with a season-high 9.900. Burkholder added a 9.825.
The meet moved into a dead heat after the third rotation as LSU turned in a season-high 49.325 on the floor to the Crimson Tide’s 49.350 on the beam to knot up the scoring at, 147.650-147.650.
Phelan matched her career-high on the event, posting a 9.925 to tie Alabama’s Ashley Miles for second place honors. Rennie and Burkholder added season-high 9.875s.
With the meet on the line the Tide pulled out a 49.525 on the floor in the final rotation to secure the victory over LSU, who put up a 49.400 on the beam. Burkholder’s meet-best 9.975 lead the pack, while Annie Gagnon, Kelly Phelan and Lisa Rennie’s 9.875s weren’t far behind.
With the final scores tallied Burkholder did take home the top individual honor, winning the all-around crown with a 39.575. The overall title marked her first of the season and the 12th of her career.
LSU returns to action Friday, Jan. 28, when it hosts No. 11 Michigan State in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at 7 p.m.
TEAM RESULTS
1. Alabama – 197.175 (VT – 49.075, UB – 49.225, BB – 49.350, FX – 49.325)
2. LSU – 197.050 (VT – 49.150, UB – 49.175, BB – 49.350, FX – 49.325)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Event winner plus all LSU competitors)
Vault – 1. Ashley Miles, UA, 10.00. t2. Nicki Butler, 9.900. t2. Kelly Phelan, 9.900. t4. April Burkholder, 9.825. t6. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.800. t8. Rikki L’Heureux, 9.725. 12. Annie Gagnon, 9.650.
Bars – t1. April Burkholder, 9.900. t1. Annie Gagnon, 9.900. t6. Lisa Rennie, 9.825. t8. Kelly Lea, 9.800. 11. Nicki Butler, 9.750. 12. Kelly Phelan, 9.225.
Beam – 1. April Burkholder, 9.975. t4. Annie Gagnon, 9.875. t4. Kelly Phelan, 9.875. t4. Lisa Rennie, 9.875. t9. Terin Martinjak, 9.800. 12. Lauren Companioni, 9.750.
Floor – 1. Ashley Miles, UA, 9.975. t2. Kelly Phelan, 9.925. t5. April Burkholder, 9.875. t5. Lisa Rennie, 9.875. t9. Nicki Butler, 9.825. t9. Terin Martinjak, 9.825. 12. Kelly Lea, 9.600.
All-Around – 1. April Burkholder, 39.575. 4. Kelly Phelan, 38.925.