ATHENS, Ga. – The 10th-ranked LSU gymnastics team posted a fourth-straight 196-plus score in a loss to No. 5 Georgia, 196.575-196.050, in Stegeman Coliseum Friday.
With the 196.050 score, LSU (5-4-1, 2-3-1 Southeastern Conference) will be able to drop the 195.050 at Florida on Jan. 29, and the Tigers will increase their regional qualifying score in the next rankings.
Individually, senior All-American Susan Jackson captured the all-around title with a 39.450, punctuated by a 9.95 vault score.
“We did not finish all of our events like we wanted to, but we managed to earn another solid road score tonight,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “We still need work sticking our landings and doing the little things that cause small deductions, but I like the way we competed in a tough environment.”
LSU fell behind early after one rotation when Georgia scored a 49.225 on vault and the Tigers posted a 48.850 on bars.
Sabrina Franceschelli scored a 9.75 to lead off the event, and Shelby Prunty followed with a 9.675. Ericka Garcia managed a 9.40, and Samantha Engle earned a 9.725. Looking for solid scores out of the final two competitors, Summer Hubbard and Jackson delivered by tallying a 9.825 and 9.875, respectively.
Georgia (4-4, 3-3) slightly increased its lead in the second rotation with a 49.300 on bars to LSU’s 49.250 on vault.
All six Tigers tallied good scores with the lowest being a 9.775 from Gloria Johnson. Kayla Rogers led off with a 9.825, and Franceschelli added a 9.80. Ashley Lee scored a 9.825 while Garcia followed with a season-best 9.85. After Johnson’s 9.775, Jackson anchored the event and delivered the 9.95 that gave her the vault title, her seventh of the season.
The Bulldogs slipped on beam in the third rotation and only managed a 48.950, but LSU could not take advantage as the Tigers totaled a 48.975 on floor to barely chip into Georgia’s lead, 147.475-147.075.
Rogers led off floor with a 9.825, and Lee and Franceschelli followed with a 9.75 and 9.80, respectively. Hubbard managed a 9.525 while Engle tied a season high with a 9.825. Jackson finished LSU’s floor team with a 9.775.
After suffering a fall early in the beam lineup, Georgia managed to rally with two 9.925’s from the final competitors, Grace Taylor and Courtney McCool.
Needing a 48.925 on beam to secure a 196.000 score, the Tigers managed to do just that by posting a 48.975.
Prunty opened with a 9.725 and Franceschelli scored a 9.70 before Garcia fell and ended with a 9.225. The Tigers responded nicely with a 9.825 from Hubbard and a career-high 9.875 from Engle. Jackson anchored the event with a 9.85 to provide the finishing touches on LSU’s fourth-straight score above 196.
Franceschelli was the only other all-around competitor in the meet, and she tallied a 39.050 for the Tigers.
“We are going to go back to practice and continue working on the little things because we know consistency wins,” Breaux said. “Next week is the Etta James Memorial meet against a top 10 Oregon State team, and we want to bring our best to the competition.”
LSU will return home to host the third annual Etta James Memorial meet in the fight against breast cancer March 5 against Oregon State at 7 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Georgia 196.575 (VT – 49.225, UB – 49.300, BB – 48.950, FX – 49.100)
2. LSU 196.050 (VT – 49.250, UB – 48.850, BB – 48.975, FX – 48.975)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Susan Jackson 39.450; 2. Sabrina Franceschelli 39.050
Vault – 1. Susan Jackson 9.95; t3. Ericka Garcia 9.85; t6. Kayla Rogers 9.825; t6. Ashley Lee 9.825; 10. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.80; 11. Gloria Johnson 9.775
Bars – t1. Susan Jackson 9.875; t1. Marcia Newby 9.875; t1. Courtney McCool 9.875; 8. Summer Hubbard 9.825; 9. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.75; 10. Samantha Engle 9.725; 11. Shelby Prunty 9.675; 12. Ericka Garcia 9.40
Beam – t1. Grace Taylor 9.925; t1. Courtney McCool 9.925; 3. Samantha Engle 9.875; 4. Susan Jackson 9.85; 5. Summer Hubbard 9.825; 8. Shelby Prunty 9.725; 9. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.70; 11. Ericka Garcia 9.225
Floor – 1. Courtney McCool 9.95; t4. Kayla Rogers 9.825; t4. Samantha Engle 9.825; 6. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.80; t7. Susan Jackson 9.775; 9. Ashley Lee 9.75; 12. Summer Hubbard 9.525