SHREVEPORT, La. – Entering the meet looking to replace a 195.350 road score from earlier in the season, the 11th-ranked LSU gymnastics team accomplished its goal with a 196.425 in a victory at Centenary Friday night in the Gold Dome.
Not only did the Tigers post a solid road score, but senior Susan Jackson tied a 30-year-old school record for single-season all-around titles with her 10th crown as she scored a 39.500. Sandra Smith won 10 all-around titles in her freshman season in 1980.
“Once again we didn’t stick our landings, but from the mount to where we should have stuck our landings we did some really good gymnastics,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “Some things were missed and miscalculated, and the whole tempo of the evening wasn’t what it should have been.
“Walking away with the team healthy and the team performing pretty well, we can take this to the SEC Championship next week and build on it.”
LSU (8-4-1) opened the first rotation on bars, but the Tigers were not sharp to open the meet as Sabrina Franceschelli, Shelby Prunty and Ericka Garcia all scored 9.75’s in the first three spots.
Samantha Engle posted a 9.80 in the fourth position, while Summer Hubbard earned a 9.875 and Susan Jackson won her seventh bars title of the year with a 9.90 to give LSU a 49.075 to open the meet.
Centenary (0-7) could not keep pace as the Ladies tallied a 47.875 team score, led by Amanda Holt’s 9.70.
LSU opened the second rotation on vault with high scores from the first three gymnasts as Kayla Rogers posted a 9.85, Franceschelli earned a 9.80 and Ashley Lee registered a 9.85.
After Gloria Johnson‘s 9.725 in the fourth position, Garcia tallied a 9.80 and Jackson anchored the event with a 9.825 to provide LSU with a final vault total of 49.125.
Centenary fell further behind with a 45.650 on bars in the second rotation, and the Ladies were paced by Makensie Lant’s 9.675.
The Tigers posted a 49.050 on floor in the third rotation as Rogers led off with a 9.825. Lee scored a 9.775, Franceschelli added a 9.80 and Hubbard tallied a 9.75 before LSU dropped Engle’s 9.65. Jackson capped the event with a 9.90 to win her sixth floor title of the year.
LSU only needed a 48.625 on beam to earn a 196 team total, but the Tigers were solid throughout to score a 49.175. Franceschelli led off with a 9.775, and Gloria Johnson earned a 9.825. The Tigers dropped Garcia’s 9.70, but Hubbard pulled out a 9.775 to set the stage for Engle and Jackson.
For the third-straight week, Engle earned a 9.90 or higher as she tied her career best with a 9.925 to win the title. Jackson anchored the event with a 9.875 to finish second, but the score gave her the 39.500 all-around which marked her eighth all-around total of 39.500 or higher on the season.
“We are going to go to practice on Sunday and pace ourselves because we have a hard week,” Breaux said. “We have to make some coaching decisions to see what we can do to get better and stay healthy, but we have to stick landings at SEC’s otherwise we will be beat.”
With dual meets behind them, the Tigers will head to Jacksonville, Fla., for the SEC Championship at 4 p.m. CT on March 27 from Veterans Memorial Arena.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. LSU 196.425 (VT – 49.125, UB – 49.075, BB – 49.175, FX – 49.050)
2. Centenary 187.700 (VT – 47.875, UB – 45.650, BB – 45.725, FX – 48.450)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Susan Jackson 39.500; 2. Sabrina Franceschelli 39.125
Vault – t1. Kayla Rogers 9.85; t1. Ashley Lee 9.85; 3. Susan Jackson 9.825; t4. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.80; t4. Ericka Garcia 9.80; 6. Gloria Johnson 9.725
Bars – 1. Susan Jackson 9.90; 2. Summer Hubbard 9.875; 3. Samantha Engle 9.80; t4. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.75; t4. Ericka Garcia 9.75; t5. Shelby Prunty 9.75
Beam – 1. Samantha Engle 9.925; 2. Susan Jackson 9.875; 3. Gloria Johnson 9.825; t4. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.775; t4. Summer Hubbard 9.775; 6. Ericka Garcia 9.700Floor – 1. Susan Jackson 9.90; 2. Kayla Rogers 9.825; 3. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.80; t4. Ashley Lee 9.775; 6. Summer Hubbard 9.75; 10. Samantha Engle 9.65