NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney and sophomore Lauren Klein earned All-SEC honors in leading the LSU gymnastics team to a fourth-place finish at the SEC Championships on Saturday at Alltel Arena.
Clare-Kearney continued to excel in the all-around as she earned first-team all-conference honors for her impressive 39.525 effort, a score that was good enough to tie her for third place in the final standings.
“Again Ashleigh managed to stay in the process,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “She managed herself well and put together four great events.”
Klein was named to the conference’s second-team for her 9.925 performance on the floor.
“Before her routine I told Lauren to go out there and do what she has done to earn that No. 2 national ranking,” said Breaux. “She did exactly that and had an absolutely beautiful performance.”
In the team race, LSU dug itself a hole after the first two rotations with some unsteady performances on the bars and a pair of falls on the balance beam.
“We had an awful start,” said Breaux. “But they really dug deep after those first two rotations, because I told them that it was about pride at that point. They had worked too hard this season not to do well.”
LSU rebounded with exceptional efforts on the floor and vault to secure a 196.250, a score that will still improve their regional qualifying score.
Top-ranked Florida claimed the meet’s team title, edging two-time defending champion, Georgia, 197.325-197.175. Alabama (197.000) finished in third and was followed by LSU, Arkansas (194.500), Auburn (194.475) and Kentucky (194.200).
LSU began the meet with a solid effort on the bars as it posted a 48.925. Freshman Summer Hubbard led all Tiger scorers, notching a 9.875. Clare-Kearney and senior Nicki Butler weren’t far behind with marks of 9.850 and 9.800, respectively.
Moving to the beam in the second rotation, the Tigers stumbled to 48.575 as they had to count a fall towards the team score. Clare-Kearney turned in the Tigers’ top effort, scoring a 9.875. Junior Kristi Esposito added a 9.850 and Butler recorded a 9.825 to round out the top three.
After sitting out the third rotation with a bye, LSU returned to action in the fourth rotation where they rebounded from a disappointing beam set with an exceptional 49.300 effort on the floor.
Sophomore Lauren Klein proved why she is the nation’s No. 2-ranked competitor on the event as she posted a team-best 9.925 to finish tied for second. Freshman Susan Jackson, senior Kelly Phelan and Clare-Kearney turned in a trio of 9.850s, while Esposito rounded out LSU’s list of scorers with a 9.825.
LSU sat out the fifth rotation with its second bye of the meet. Returning to action on the vault in the sixth rotation, LSU closed out their meet with an impressive 49.450 performance on the vault.
Again, Clare-Kearney led all Tiger scorers with a 9.950, a score that was good enough for a second-place finish and All-SEC honors. Butler and Phelan were nearly as good with each posting a 9.900.
Up next, the Tigers will prep for the NCAA Regional Championships that are scheduled for Saturday, April 14. LSU is expected to learn its regional destination on Monday.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Florida ? 197.325 (VT ? 49.300, UB ? 49.275, BB ? 49.300, FX ? 49.45)
2. Georgia ? 197.175 (VT ? 49.475, UB ? 49.300, BB ? 49.375, FX ? 49.025)
3. Alabama ? 197.000 (VT ? 49.250, UB ? 49.150, BB ? 49.325, FX ? 49.275)
4. LSU ? 196.250 (VT ? 49.450, UB ? 48.925, BB ? 48.575, FX ? 49.300)
5. Arkansas ? 194.500 (VT ? 49.000, UB ? 48.825, BB ? 47.850, FX ? 48.825)
6. Auburn ? 194.475 (VT ? 48.900, UB ? 48.675, BB ? 48.125, FX ? 48.725)
7. Kentucky ? 194.200 (VT ? 48.050, UB ? 48.450, BB ? 48.725, FX ? 48.975)
Individual (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? t1, Katie Heenan, UGA, 39.600. t1, Courtney Kupets, 39.600. t3, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 39.525. 10, Nicki Butler, 39.325. 14, Susan Jackson, 39.150. 17, Kelly Phelan, 38.475.
Vault ? 1, Courtney Kupets, UGA, 9.975. t2, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.950. t4, Nicki Butler, 9.900. t4, Kelly Phelan, 9.900. t13, Susan Jackson, 9.850. t13, Amanda Morales, 9.850. t13, Kayla Rogers, 9.850.
Bars ? 1, Courtney Kupets, UGA, 9.925. t5, Summer Hubbard, 9.875. t8, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.850. t13, Nicki Butler, 9.800. t31, Susan Jackson, 9.700. t31, Kelly Phelan, 9.700. t31, Lisa Rennie, 9.700.
Beam ? 1, Ricki Lebegern, ALA, 9.925. t4, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875. t11, Kristi Esposito, 9.850. t17, Nicki Butler, 9.825. 24, Susan Jackson, 9.750. t36, Lauren Klein, 9.275. 40, Kelly Phelan, 9.075.
Floor ? 1, Amanda Castillo, UF, 9.950. t2, Lauren Klein, 9.925. t10, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.850. t10, Susan Jackson, 9.850. t10, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. t21, Kristi Esposito, 9.825. t25, Nicki Butler, 9.800.