DULUTH, Ga. — The No. 5 gymnastics squad placed fourth in the 2008 SEC Championships in Duluth, Ga. on Saturday in one of the closest SEC Championship Tournaments in recent history.
Additionally, junior superstar Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won the all-around title with a 39.600.
In front of 9,022, a new SEC Championship attendance record, the Tigers posted a 196.500, scoring their highest total in the SEC Championship since 2005.
The Tigers finished behind No. 1 Georgia (197.350), No. 3 Florida (197.325) and No. 6 Alabama (197.325).
“We performed about how we have performed all year,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “However, it wasn’t good enough to keep us ahead of Alabama. They did a better job than we did tonight.”
“I think that our youth played out,” added Breaux. “We worked hard, but obviously not hard enough. We can get better, and we will be better at Regionals.”
The Tigers opened the afternoon on the bars, posting a respectable 48.975. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney led the way for LSU with a 9.875. Susan Jackson scored a 9.825 and Summer Hubbard notched a 9.800 for the three highest scores by the purple and gold.
LSU scored a 48.900 on the beam in the second rotation. Jackson started strong with a 9.800. Kristi Esposito and Clare-Kearney finished the event in top fashion, posting a 9.825 and a 9.875, respectively. Additionally, Samantha Engle scored a 9.750.
After two rotations, the Tigers held a score of 97.875. They were the only team to participate in both of the first two rotations. For the third rotation, the Tigers had a bye.
LSU moved to the floor for the fourth rotation, notching a 49.275. Esposito kicked things off with a strong performance, scoring a 9.850. Kayla Rogers and Sabrina Franceschelli followed suit, each posting a 9.800. However, things really picked up with Jackson and Clare-Kearney. Jackson scored a remarkable 9.875 while Clare-Kearney scored a 9.950. Clare-Kearney tied with two others for the event title.
LSU had a team score of 147.150 after the first four rotations. The Tigers had another bye during the fifth rotation.
LSU found themselves on the vault during the sixth rotation. The event was their most consistent throughout the regular season, posting a score of 49.000 or higher in all but one meet this season. The Tigers continued their strong season on the vault, notching a 49.350.
Paige Cipolloni, who hasn’t competed since early March because of an ankle injury, scored a 9.775 on the vault to open things up. Rogers followed that performance up with a 9.825. Staci Schwitkis posted a 9.800. Nicole Lyons, another freshman who has been sidelined for the last few meets because of an ankle injury, notched a 9.850.
As always, the Tigers two top scores didn’t come until the very end. Jackson scored a 9.950 and Clare-Kearney scored a 9.925 to give the Tigers their best performance of the meet. Jackson tied with four others for the event title.
Jackson’s all-around score of 39.450 was good enough for sixth in the meet.
The Tigers will return to Baton Rouge for a few weeks of practice. They will be off next weekend. The Tigers will compete next at the NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, La. on April 12.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Georgia ? 197.350 (VT ? 49.225, UB ? 49.500, BB ? 49.300, FX ? 49.325)
t-2. Florida ? 197.325 (VT ? 49.375, UB ? 49.400, BB ? 49.175, FX ? 49.375)
t-2. Alabama ? 197.325 (VT ? 49.450, UB ? 49.125, BB ? 49.350, FX ? 49.400)
4. LSU ? 196.500 (VT ? 49.350, UB ? 48.975, BB ? 48.900, FX ? 49.275)
5. Auburn ? 196.100 (VT ? 49.025, UB ? 49.050, BB ? 49.000 , FX ? 49.025)
6. Arkansas ? 194.650 (VT ? 48.625, UB ? 47.950, BB ? 49.025, FX ? 49.050)
7. Kentucky ? 194.025 (VT ? 48.525, UB ? 48.500, BB ? 48.850, FX ? 194.025)
Individual (winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? 1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 39.600; 6. Susan Jackson, 39.450
Vault ? t-1. Susan Jackson, 9.950; t-6. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.925; t-13. Nicole Lyons, 9.850; t-16. Kayla Rogers, 9.825; t-19. Staci Schwitkis, 9.800; t-25. Paige Cipolloni, 9.775;
Bars ? t-1. Tiffany Tolnay (Georgia), 9.950; t-1. Melanie Sinclair (Florida), 9.950; t-7. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875; t-14. Susan Jackson, 9.825; t-17. Summer Hubbard, 9.800; t-26. Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.750; 29. Kristi Esposito, 9.725; t-34. Nicole Lyons, 9.675
Beam ? 1. Five way tie with 9.900; t-7. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875; t-17. Kristi Esposito, 9.825; t-21. Susan Jackson, 9.800; t-31. Samantha Engle, 9.750; t-37. Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.675; 41. Nicole Lyons, 9.225
Floor ? t-1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.950; t-7. Susan Jackson, 9.875; t-13. Kristi Esposito, 9.850; t-24. Sabrina Franceschelli, 9.800; t-24. Kayla Rogers, 9.800; t-36. Samantha Engle, 9.700