BATON ROUGE — LSU’s 13th-ranked gymnastics begins a three-meet home stand this Friday when they host No. 18 Kentucky at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center beginning at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the meet can still be purchase online at LSUsports.net, over the phone by calling (225) 578-2184 or in person at the LSU ticket office. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12.
The first 2,000 fans at the meet will receive free 2006 gymnastics trading cards. In addition, the team will be available for an autograph signing session on the concourse of the PMAC following the conclusion of the meet.
The Tigers (7-4, 1-1 SEC) are coming off their best performance of the year, a 196.100 effort against top-ranked Georgia last week. The Tigers posted season-highs on three of the four events, recording three scores of 49.050 or better.
LSU will use a lineup similar to the one against Georgia in its continued effort to foster consistency on each of the four events.
All-arounders April Burkholder and Kelly Phelan will anchor the lineup. Both are coming off season-best efforts against the Gym Dogs, performances that same Burkholder notch a season-high tying 39.375 and Phelan post a season-best 39.150.
Other key contributions will need to come from be seniors Terin Martinjak and Kelly Lea, sophomore Emily Ellis and freshman Lauren Klein as each are slated to see action in three events.
Kentucky (7-1, 1-1 SEC) is coming off its first loss of the season, dropping a 196.650-194.250 decision to third-ranked Alabama last week.
The Cats have been led by junior Krystle Cook who is ranked 16th in the country on the bars and scored a season-high 39.125 in the all-around against the Tide.
LSU enters the meet holding a 51-3-0 all-time series advantage over Kentucky. The Tigers have won 19 straight against the Cats, a streak dating back to March 17, 1997.
Following the Kentucky meet, LSU remains at home as it continues its SEC schedule with a dual meet against No. 16 Auburn Fri., Feb. 17, in the PMAC.