BATON ROUGE – The LSU gymnastics team used two event scores of 49.000 or higher to roll to a season-high overall score in a 195.875-193.750 victory over BYU Friday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The Tigers tied or won outright every event title as well as the all-around, and two LSU gymnasts broke the 9.90 barrier in the meet.
“Our goal is to pass through the ranking we are and improve this much each week, and we saw a big jump last week and this week we saw another jump,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “We are seeing break-through performances, and we are seeing kids be able to get those 9.8’s and higher.”
LSU (2-5) got off to a slow start on vault with a 48.750, but junior Ashley Lee and freshman Maliah Mathis tied BYU’s Mickell Merrell for the event title with a 9.80. Sophomore Janelle Garcia tied her career high with a 9.75.
The Tigers tallied a season-best 49.000 on bars as five of the six gymnasts tied or set new season highs. Sophomore Ericka Garcia led off with a season-best 9.775. Freshman Sarah Zoldos tied her season high with a 9.75, and senior Samantha Engle tied her season-best with a 9.775. Redshirt freshman Kaleigh Dickson set a career-high with a 9.80, and Morrison became the first LSU gymnast this season to break the 9.9 plateau as she earned a 9.90 to win the bars title.
No. 24 LSU posted a 48.975 on beam, led by Ericka Garcia‘s 9.85 that won the event title. Shelby Prunty, Mathis and Morrison all scored 9.80’s to pace the Tigers to the season-high beam mark.
For the first time this season LSU scored a 49 or higher on floor as the Tigers posted a 49.150. Mathis earned LSU’s highest individual score of the season with a 9.925 as the event anchor, and she won her second-consecutive floor title.
Prunty tallied a career-high 9.85, Morrison earned a career-high 9.825 and Dickson and Janelle Garcia posted 9.775’s to lead the Tigers to the season-high floor score.
Morrison’s 39.150 all-around total gave her the title for the first time, and Dickson continued her strong showing in the all-around with a 39.025.
“We are developing some leadership, and I’m seeing some people become intense and take some ownership and responsibility,” Breaux said.
BYU fell to 8-2-2 on the season with event scores of 48.675 on vault, 48.625 on beam, 48.400 on bars and 48.050 on floor. Individually, the Cougars were led by Merrell with a 9.80 on vault and Jennifer Lezeu who posted a 9.775 on beam.
LSU jumps back into Southeastern Conference competition next week when the Tigers play host to No. 11 Arkansas at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11. The Razorbacks upset No. 4 Georgia, 195.775-195.400 Friday in Fayetteville.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. LSU 195.875 (VT – 48.750, UB – 49.000, BB – 48.975, FX – 49.150)
2. BYU 193.750 (VT – 48.675, UB – 48.400, BB – 48.625, FX – 48.050)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Sarie Morrison 39.150; 2. Kaleigh Dickson 39.025
Vault – t1. Ashley Lee 9.80; t1. Maliah Mathis 9.80; t1. Mickell Merrell 9.80; 4. Janelle Garcia 9.750; t5. Kaleigh Dickson 9.725; 10. Ericka Garcia 9.675; 11. Sarie Morrison 9.625
Bars – 1. Sarie Morrison 9.90; 2. Kaleigh Dickson 9.80; t3. Ericka Garcia 9.775; t3. Samantha Engle 9.775; t5. Sarah Zoldos 9.75; t7. Shelby Prunty 9.725
Beam – 1. Ericka Garcia 9.85; t2. Sarie Morrison 9.80; t2. Shelby Prunty 9.80; t2. Maliah Mathis 9.80; t6. Kaleigh Dickson 9.725; 12. Casey Duvall 9.350
Floor – 1.Maliah Mathis 9.925; 2. Shelby Prunty 9.85; 3. Sarie Morrison 9.825; t4. Kaleigh Dickson 9.775; t4. Janelle Garcia 9.775; 11. Ashley Lee 8.875