BATON ROUGE — The sixth-ranked LSU gymnastics squad will look to build up its regional qualifying score with a strong performance at Centenary at 7 p.m. CDT Friday in the Gold Dome in Shreveport.
LSU (12-2, 4-2 SEC) is riding a five-meet win streak heading into the meet against the Ladies, and the Tigers are looking for a 196.0 score or higher to replace the 195.300 LSU scored at Auburn on Jan. 30.
“It has to be a good road score this week,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “Our approach this week has been to try to rest our kids and get over some minor injuries that have naturally occurred. If we can go in this meet, be consistent and walk out with 196 points, then I think we have done our job.”
Senior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney will be one of the Tigers who will receive a rest this week as she is only scheduled to compete on bars against Centenary. Last week in the Second Annual Etta James Memorial Meet against NC State, Clare-Kearney shook off her injury to record a perfect 10.0 on vault, the fourth of her career in the event and fifth overall.
However, it was junior Susan Jackson who stole the show with the best all-around meet of her career as she shattered her career-high all-around mark with a 39.700. Besides winning the all-around crown, Jackson took home three event titles by scoring a career-best 9.950 on beam and season-high 9.925’s on bars and floor. For her efforts, Jackson earned the first SEC Gymnast of the Week honors of her career.
LSU will count on another strong performance from Jackson and other gymnasts in order for the Tigers to score well against Centenary. Junior Sabrina Franceschelli will return to the lineup in beam and floor to compete in the all-around, and freshman Ashley Lee will be inserted into the vault lineup in place of Clare-Kearney.
Centenary (4-7) will counter the Tigers with their top all-around performer ? junior Courtney Hawkins, who holds the team’s top all-around score of 38.925. In addition, Hawkins has posted the team’s highest vault and floor scores with a 9.85 and 9.8, respectively.
The Ladies are coming off a win at home March 8 against Pennsylvania, 191.650-189.300. Centenary’s highest score this season is a 192.800 scored at home against Air Force on Feb. 6.
This will mark the fourth-straight year LSU has traveled to Centenary, and the Tigers have posted two of the top 15 scores in school history in Shreveport against the Ladies, including the fourth-best score in school history in 2004 when LSU tallied a 197.650.
Last season LSU rolled into Shreveport and posted a 197.050 against Centenary. LSU has an all-time series lead of 26-1 against Centenary with the one loss coming back in 1984.
Live audio will be available for free on the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net, and fans can also follow live stats for the meet against Centenary on LSUsports.net.
After the meet, LSU will prepare for the SEC Championship in Nashville, Tenn., March 21 at 4 p.m. CDT.