TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A near season-best performance wasn’t quite enough for the eighth-ranked LSU gymnastics team to upset No. 4 Alabama Friday night at Coleman Coliseum as the Tide slipped by the Tigers, 197.250-196.875, in front of a crowd of 10,113.
“I am very pleased and very proud,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux on the way her team performed. “It wasn’t our best meet of the season, but it was good.”
LSU was led by its trio of all-arounders that all turned in season-best performances. Junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney tied Alabama’s Morgan Denis for the meet’s all-around title, notching an impressive 39.500. Kelly Phelan and Nicki Butler weren’t far behind with outstanding marks of 39.425 and 39.400, respectively.
“You can’t ask those three to do any more than they did tonight,” said Breaux. “They gave it everything they had.”
LSU began the evening on the bars, posting a season-high 49.175 as all six athletes turned in hit sets, stuck landings and not a score below 9.800.
Butler and freshman Summer Hubbard led the Tigers with a pair of 9.850s which was good enough for second overall. Phelan, Freshman Susan Jackson and senior Lisa Rennie were just behind with matching scores of 9.825.
The Tigers carried their momentum from the bars to the vault in the second rotation, tallying a season-high 49.425 as LSU did not count a score below 9.825.
Clare-Kearney again proved why she is the nation’s No. 1-ranked competitor on the event, punctuating the end of the Tigers’ lineup with a near-perfect 9.950 to claim her eighth meet title in nine tries this season.
Butler was nearly as good, tying her season-high on the vault with a 9.925 to place second overall. Phelan added a 9.875, while sophomore Amanda Morales turned in a career-high 9.850 in her season debut on the event and freshman Kayla Rogers posted a career-high tying 9.825 to round out the Tigers’ scoring on the event.
The outstanding effort by the Tiger squad evened up the team scoring after two rotations as LSU and Alabama found themselves knotted up at 98.600 a piece.
The Tigers took a slight lead in the third rotation following an electric floor performance that resulted in a season-high tying 49.425. The Tide answered with a 49.275 on the beam as the LSU took the .150 lead.
Sophomore Lauren Klein led the Tigers’ effort on the floor, wrapping up the rotation with a team-high 9.925. Jackson was just as impressive, scoring a career-high 9.900 to lead off the rotation. The middle of the lineup was solidified by Clare-Kearney and Phelan’s 9.875s and junior Kristi Esposito‘s season-high 9.850.
In the last rotation, the Tigers tallied a 48.850 on the beam, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a surging Tide team that posted a 49.375 on the floor to secure the win.
LSU again had top efforts from Clare-Kearney, Butler and Phelan as Clare-Kearney led all LSU scorers with a 9.875 and Butler and Phelan each posted 9.850s.
Up next, the Tigers return home to home No. 16 Penn State on Friday, March 9, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Alabama ? 197.250 (VT ? 49.45, UB ? 49.150, BB ? 49.275, FX ? 49.375)
2. LSU ? 196.875 (VT ? 49.425, UB ? 49.175, BB ? 48.850, FX ? 49.425)
Individual (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? t1, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 39.500. t1, Morgan Dennis, Alabama, 39.500. 5, Kelly Phelan, 39.425. 6, Nicki Butler, 39.400.
Vault ? 1, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.950. 2, Nicki Butler, 9.925. t4, Kelly Phelan, 9.875. 8, Amanda Morales, 9.850. t10, Kayla Rogers, 9.825. 12, Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.800.
Bars ? 1, Terin Humphrey, Alabama, 9.900. t2, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t2, Summer Hubbard, 9.850. t4, Susan Jackson, 9.825. t4, Kelly Phelan, 9.825. t4, Lisa Rennie, 9.825. t9, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.800.
Beam ? 1, Ricki Lebegern, Alabama, 9.900. t2, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875. t4, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t4, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. 10, Susan Jackson, 9.650. 11, Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.625. 12, Lisa Rennie, 8.500.
Floor ? 1, Morgan Dennis, Alabama, 9.950. 2, Lauren Klein, 9.925. 3, Susan Jackson, 9.900. t4, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875. t4, Kelly Phelan, 9.875. t8, Kristi Esposito, 9.850. 12, Nicki Butler, 9.775.