BATON ROUGE — The No.7-ranked LSU gymnastics team was unable to hold on to an early lead over Southeastern Conference foe Alabama, dropping their meet with the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide 196.425-195.850 Friday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
“I’m disappointed,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “It’s frustrating because we’re so close to greatness, but until we put together a consistent team performance we’re not going to be able to win the big ones.”
Alabama sophomore Terin Humphery earned the all-around title after putting up a combined score of 39.475, including a season-high 9.925 on the floor. She narrowly edged LSU’s April Burkholder, who finished in second with a 39.400. Tiger junior Kelly Phelan finished third with a 38.200.
The Tigers (9-7, 2-3 SEC) opened the meet by posting a 49.075 on the vault in the first rotation. Emily Ellis led the way for LSU, scoring a career high 9.95. Ellis’ score would prove to be the best of the night and gave the Tiger sophomore the second individual event title of her career.
LSU put up another solid score on bars, finishing the event with a 49.075. Juniors Lisa Rennie and Nicki Butler both scored 9.850s, good enough to tie for second in the overall event scoring.
After two rotations the Tigers found themselves with a 98.150- 98.075 lead, but LSU’s inconsistency on the balance beam that would prove to be its undoing. The Tigers received a 48.475 in the event after to having to count a fall to the team score.
“We can’t count a fall on the beam and beat a team like Alabama,” said Breaux. “We’ve just got to be more consistent and stick our landings if we are going to beat top-10 teams.”
While the Tigers faltered on the beam, Alabama racked up a 49.300 on the floor to give itself a commanding lead heading into the final rotation.
LSU tried to catch up in the fourth rotation, as it headed to the floor and Alabama went to the beam. Although she was denied a 24th-career all-around title, Burkholder ended the night with a riveting floor performance, which netted her a 9.925 and tied her with Humphrey for the individual event title.
Despite a fall by Cassie Martin, Alabama put together a consistent team effort on the balance beam to seal the win. The Crimson Tide were again paced by Humphrey, who posted a 9.875.
Up next, LSU will travel to Gainesville, Fla., on March 10 for a tri-meet with No. 2 Florida and No. 17 Penn State.
TEAM RESULTS
LSU — 195.850 (VT — 49.075, UB — 49.075 , BB — 48.475 , FX — 49.225 )
Alabama — 196.425 (VT — 49.05, UB — 49.025, BB — 49.050 , FX — 49.300)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around — 1. Terin Humphery — 39.475 2. April Burkholder — 39.400 3. Kelly Phelan — 38.200
Vault — 1. Emily Ellis — 9.950; t4. Nicki Butler — 9.825; t4 April Burkholder — 9.825; 7. 9.800; 11. Teri Gibson — 9.675; 12. Terin Martinjak — 9.600
Bars — 1. Melanie Banville — 9.875; t2 Nicki Butler — 9.850; t2 Lisa Rennie 9.850; t5 Emily Ellis — 9.825; t7 April Burkholder — 9.775; t7 Kelly Lea — 9.775; 12. Kelly Phelan — 9.300
Beam — t1. April Burkholder — 9.875 t1. Terin Humphery — 9.875 t4. Terin Martinjak 9.825 7. Lisa Rennie 9.775 8. Nicki Butler 9.725 10. Kelly Phelan 9.725 11. Christina Suhr 9.225
Floor — t1. April Burkholder — 9.925 t1. Terin Humphery –9.925 5. Lauren Klein — 9.850 t6. Kelly Phelan — 9.825 t6. Emily Ellis — 9.825 9. Terin Martinjak — 9.800 10. Lisa Rennie — 9.775