LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 11th-ranked LSU gymnastics squad delivered a season-high team score in defeating Kentucky, 196.575-195.225, Friday night in Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers, who improved to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC competition, accomplished the season-high total without the services of junior Sabrina Franceschelli who was forced to stay home with the flu.
“We changed our line-up, fought through adversity and it was a hard-fought battle,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “These kids earned every tenth of a point they were given.”
As a team LSU posted season highs on bars (49.300), beam (49.025) and floor (49.075) and scored a 49.175 on vault as the Tigers cracked the 49-point barrier on all four events against the Wildcats. It marked the second straight meet that the Tigers set season highs on bars, beam and floor.
The 49.300 score on bars was the highest LSU has scored since the NCAA Prelims at the NCAA Championships last season on April 24, 2008.
Individually, LSU senior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney leapt closer to 100 career individual titles as she picked up four against Kentucky ? winning the all-around with a season-best 39.600, tying for first on vault (9.90) and floor (9.90) and claiming bars outright with a season-high 9.925. Through four meets this season Clare-Kearney has earned 11 individual titles and is up to 94 career crowns. Clare-Kearney also finished second on beam with a season-best 9.875.
Junior Summer Hubbard dazzled the judges and the crowd on beam, winning the event with a 9.90. Junior Susan Jackson tied Clare-Kearney and Kentucky’s Heather Hite for the floor title with a 9.90, which marked Jackson’s third individual crown this season. Jackson also finished second in the all-around behind Clare-Kearney with a season-high 39.375.
Sophomore Staci Schwitkis competed in all four events for the first time in her career as she finished with an all-around score of 38.550. Schwitkis had never competed on beam or floor as a Tiger before the meet, but she fought nerves to turn in a 9.250 on beam and a 9.70 on floor.
“Staci went in, and for her first time out doing all four events since high school she did a nice job competing for us,” Breaux said.
Without Franceschelli, LSU also added senior Lauren Klein into the bars line-up for the first time this year. Klein had not competed at all this season because of an injured ankle, but the native of The Woodlands, Texas came through with a 9.775 on bars.
The night was marked by different Tigers stepping up in the face of adversity as sophomore Paige Cipolloni saw her first action of the season on vault. Cipolloni delivered a 9.750 that helped LSU, the nation’s second-ranked vaulting team, earn a 49.175.
Freshman Gloria Johnson was inserted into the floor line-up after sophomore Samantha Engle slightly rolled her ankle prior to the meet, and Johnson responded by posting a 9.750 in her first attempt on floor as a Tiger. Despite the minor ankle roll, Engle still competed on bars and recovered beautifully during her routine to score a 9.850, and she also turned in a 9.775 on beam.
Despite the loss Kentucky (1-2, 0-2 SEC) scored a season-high with the 195.225, and the Wildcats were led by junior Hillary Ferguson who finished third in the all-around with a 39.275. Ferguson posted three scores of 9.825 or better. The Wildcats were also paced by their floor team as Kentucky scored a season-best 49.200 in the event, and everyone finished with a 9.80 or higher.
With the win LSU improved its all-time series lead over Kentucky to a dominant 58-3 mark, including a 14-2 record in Lexington.
LSU will continue on the road next week as the Tigers head to Auburn, Ala., to face the Auburn Tigers on Jan. 30. Auburn defeated Iowa State on Friday, 196.275-195.225.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. LSU 196.575 (VT ? 49.175, UB ? 49.300, BB ? 49.025, FX ? 49.075)
2. Kentucky 195.225 (VT ? 49.225, UB ? 48.975, BB ? 47.825, FX ? 49.200)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? 1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 39.600; 2. Susan Jackson 39.375; 4. Staci Schwitkis 38.550
Vault ? t1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.90; t1. Emily Green 9.90; t1. Whitney Rose 9.90; t4. Susan Jackson 9.875; t6. Gloria Johnson 9.825; t6. Staci Schwitkis 9.825; 10. Paige Cipolloni 9.750; 12. Kayla Rogers 9.050
Bars ? 1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.925; t2. Susan Jackson 9.875; t2. Summer Hubbard 9.875; t4. Samantha Engle 9.850; t7. Staci Schwitkis 9.775; t7. Lauren Klein 9.775
Beam ? 1. Summer Hubbard 9.90; 2. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.875; 5. Samantha Engle 9.775; t6. Gloria Johnson 9.750; 8. Susan Jackson 9.725; 10. Staci Schwitkis 9.250
Floor ? t1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.90; t1. Susan Jackson 9.90; t1. Heather Hite 9.90; t6. Kayla Rogers 9.80; 10. Gloria Johnson 9.750; 11. Summer Hubbard 9.725; 12. Staci Schwitkis 9.70