EAST LANSING, Mich. — Miscues on the vault and beam proved costly for the eighth-ranked LSU gymnastics team as it scored a 193.725 to finish third at the season opening Michigan State quad meet Friday night at the Jennison Fieldhouse.
MSU won the team title with a 195.475, Denver finished second scoring a 193.875 and Ball State rounded out the competition with a 190.025.
“I’m leaving the arena very disappointed,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “For a team that worked so hard in the preseason they just came in tonight and imploded. This team had every opportunity to get a good score and they just couldn’t get it done.”
LSU started the meet on the floor, posting a 48.825. Burkholder capped off the rotation with a meet best 9.900. Junior Terin Martinjak and sophomore Nicki Butler added identical 9.800s.
The Tigers stumbled on the vault in the second rotation having to count a fall towards the team score to muster just a 48.250. Butler topped out LSU’s scoring with a 9.825. She was followed by Phelan with a 9.725 and junior Rikki L’Heureux’s 9.675.
Moving to the bars, LSU added a 48.675 to its team total. Butler again led the Tiger squad, winning the event with a 9.850. Burkholder turned in a 9.775 and sophomore Lisa Rennie added a 9.700.
The Tigers couldn’t find their footing on the beam in the final rotation as four athletes fell from the apparatus and the team tallied just a 47.825. The rotation was highlighted by a pair of 9.850s by Martinjak and Phelan.
The Tigers return to action Fri., Jan. 21 when they open both the home and SEC schedules against No. 6 Florida at 7 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
TEAM RESULTS
1. Michigan State – 195.475 (VT – 48.725, UB – 48.725, BB – 49.075, FX – 48.950)
2. Denver – 193.875 (VT – 48.775, UB – 48.775, BB – 48.350, FX – 48.250)
3. LSU – 193.725 (VT – 48.250, UB – 48.675, BB – 47.875, FX – 48.925)
4. Ball State – 190.025 (VT – 48.075, UB – 46.900, BB – 47.425, FX – 47.625)
INDIVIUDAL RESULTS (Event winner plus all LSU competitors)
Vault – t1, Jenna Tarkington, BSU. T1 Casey Dobyns, DU, 9.850. t3, Nicki Butler, 9.825. t9, Kelly Phelan, 9.750. t12, Rikki L’Heureux, 9.675. 17, Jade Jenkins, 9.575. 21, April Burkholder, 9.475. 23, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.375.
Bars – 1, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t2, April Burkholder, 9.775. t9, Lisa Rennie, 9.700. t12, Annie Gagnon, 9.675. t12, Kelly Phelan, 9.675. 18, Kelly Lea, 9.500.
Beam – 1, Quiana Williams, BSU, 9.900. 5, Terin Martinjak, 9.850. t5, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. t15, Annie Gagnon, 9.425. t15, Lisa Rennie, 9.425. 19, April Burkholder, 9.325. 20, Jade Jenkins, 9.200
Floor – 1, April Burkholder, 9.900. t5, Nicki Butler, 9.800. t5, Terin Matrinjak, 9.800. t10, Kelly Lea, 9.750. 13, Kelly Phelan, 9.675. t14, Lisa Rennie, 9.650.
All-Around – 1, Sarah Alexander, MSU, 39.150. 2, Kelly Phelan, 38.950. 4, April Burkholder, 38.425.