BATON ROUGE – Led by senior Kayla Rogers‘ three scores of 9.80-plus, the sixth-ranked LSU gymnastics team dominated Maryland 194.375-190.625 Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Rogers opened her senior season with a bang, posting scores of 9.875 on vault, 9.800 on bars and 9.825 on floor. The 9.875 on vault earned Rogers her second career title and first in the event.
Senior Susan Jackson paced the Tigers in the all-around with a 39.275, the sixth time the Spring, Texas native has captured the all-around crown.
“Considering the fact we don’t have our depth yet, I feel very pleased about tonight,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “We also took this opportunity to warm up some kids, and their performances stepped up, which is an indication that we are doing the right things in the gym.”
LSU (1-0) opened up on vault with a 48.725, paced by Rogers’ 9.875, Jackson’s 9.85 and sophomore Ashley Lee‘s 9.75.
The Tigers scored a 48.400 on bars while Maryland (0-1) tallied a 48.625 on vault to give the Tigers a slim lead, 97.125-96.150 after two rotations.
Jackson captured her sixth career title on bars with a 9.825 while junior Samantha Engle and senior Sabrina Franceschelli poured in 9.75 and 9.725 scores, respectively.
Senior Summer Hubbard won her 12th career title and fifth on beam with a 9.80, while Engle contributed a 9.725 and Jackson scored a 9.70. Freshman Shelby Prunty saw her first action as a Tiger and scored a 9.60 as the Tigers finished with a 48.275 total for the event.
Jackson picked up LSU’s first 9.90 score of the season with that mark on floor to claim her sixth career floor title and 32nd career crown. Rogers finished second in the event with a 9.825 while Hubbard scored a 9.775, Engle had a 9.750 and Franceschelli poured in a 9.725.
Redshirt sophomore Nikki Lyons saw her first action since 2008, and she managed to hit a 9.575 on vault.
The Terrapins were paced by Abigail Adams who finished with a 38.200 all-around mark, and Michele Brenner had the high score of the night for Maryland with a 9.80 on floor.
LSU’s final total of 194.375 is the third highest in the past six years as the Tigers scored a 195.725 in 2008, 194.900 last year, 194.075 in 2007, 193.900 in 2006 and 193.725 in 2005.
“I thought our seniors performed exemplary,” Breaux said. “The leadership and maturity they showed on the floor and the example that they set for the other young half of the team is very gratifying. It’s going to be slow to come, but I expect great things from this team.”
LSU will head to the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., for a quad meet at 9 p.m. CT on Jan. 15 against Kentucky, Missouri and Arizona State. The Tigers next home meet will be Jan. 22 against Auburn.
Tiger fans can follow the action next week from Las Vegas live by listening to the Internet audiocast available in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net, and fans can sign up to follow all the latest news and updates about LSU gymnastics by logging on to twitter.com/lsugym.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. LSU 194.375 (VT – 48.725, UB – 48.400, BB – 48.275, FX – 48.975)
2. Maryland 190.625 (VT – 48.625, UB – 47.525, BB – 47.375, FX – 47.100)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Susan Jackson 39.275; 2. Sabrina Franceschelli 38.475; 3. Summer Hubbard 38.350
Vault – 1. Kayla Rogers 9.875; 2. Susan Jackson 9.850; t5. Ashley Lee 9.750; t7. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.675; t10. Nikki Lyons 9.575; 12. Summer Hubbard 9.475
Bars – 1. Susan Jackson 9.825; 2. Kayla Rogers 9.800; 3. Samantha Engle 9.750; 4. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.725; 10. Summer Hubbard 9.300; 12. Nikki Lyons 9.225
Beam – 1. Summer Hubbard 9.800; t2. Samantha Engle 9.725; 4. Susan Jackson 9.700; 5. Shelby Prunty 9.600; 8. Gloria Johnson 9.450; 9. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.350
Floor – 1. Susan Jackson 9.900; 2. Kayla Rogers 9.825; 4. Summer Hubbard 9.775; 5. Samantha Engle 9.750; t6. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.725