LEXINGTON, Ky. — A 1-2 all-around finish by seniors Kelly Phelan and Nicki Butler propelled the 12th-ranked LSU gymnastics team to a, 195.575-194.325, victory over No. 24 Kentucky Friday night at UK’s Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers turned in three scores of 49.000 or better to start the meet, but had a shaky beam effort in the final rotation to miss securing a 196.000 team score.
“We started out well,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “I think the judges held us to a high standard, but it was a great team effort through three rotations. Then we got to the beam and crumbled.”
The Tigers had to count a fall and a major miscue and tallied just a 48.200 on the beam.
However, the meet was highlighted by superlative individual efforts by Phelan and Butler. Phelan notched a 39.325 to capture her second all-around title of the season. Butler was just behind with 39.250.
LSU also won three of the four individual event titles as junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won the vault and bars and sophomore Lauren Klein captured the floor crown.
LSU began the competition with a solid 49.000 on the bars. The score, just off the Tigers’ season-best of 49.075 posted last week against Georgia, marked the third straight week team had gone 49.000 or better on the event.
Clare-Kearney paced the Tigers on the event with a career-high tying 9.875. Freshmen Summer Hubbard and Susan Jackson weren’t far behind with scores of 9.850 and 9.800, respectively.
The Tigers carried their momentum from the bars to the vault in the second rotation, turning in an impressive 49.325.
LSU swept the meet’s top-three spots on the event. Clare-Kearney once again proved why she is ranked No. 2 nationally on the vault as she punctuated the end of the lineup with a near perfect 9.975 to win her fifth vault title in six meets this season.
Finishing second was Phelan with a 9.900. Butler rounded out the Tigers’ top three with a 9.875.
In the third rotation, LSU moved to the floor were it notched a 49.025.
Sophomore Lauren Klein led all scorers with a 9.900 to pick up her second meet title on the event this season. Phelan was nearly as good finishing second with a 9.875, while Butler added a 9.800.
The Tigers wrapped up the meet on the beam. Phelan and Butler led the team’s efforts on the event, posting scores of 9.825 and 9.800 to place second and third, respectively.
Up next, LSU continues the SEC slate, traveling to Auburn on Friday, Feb. 16, for a dual meet.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. LSU ? 195.575 (VT ? 49.325, UB ? 49.000, BB ? 48.200, FX ? 49.025)
2. Kentucky ? 194.275 (VT ? 48.550, UB ? 48.175, BB ? 48.450, FX ? 49.100)
Individual (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? 1, Kelly Phelan, 39.325. 2, Nicki Butler, 39.250. 5, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 38.875.
Vault ? 1, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.975. 2, Kelly Phelan, 9.900. 3, Nicki Butler, 9.875. t4, Lauren Klein, 9.825. 7, Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.750. 10, Kayla Rogers, 9.575.
Bars ? t1, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875. t1, Lucy Burgin, UK, 9.875. 3, Summer Hubbard, 9.850. t4, Susan Jackson, 9.800. 6, Nicki Butler, 9.775. t8, Kristi Esposito, 9.725. t8, Kelly Phelan, 9.725.
Beam ? 1, Heather Hite, 9.875. 2, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. 3, Nicki Butler, 9.800. 4, Lisa Rennie, 9.700. 9, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.475. 10, Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.400. 11, Kristi Esposito, 9.350.
Floor ? 1, Lauren Klein, 9.900. 2, Kelly Phelan, 9.875. 7, Nicki Butler, 9.800. 8, Kristi Esposito, 9.750. 10, Susan Jackson, 9.700. 11, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.550.