BATON ROUGE – For the second-straight meet LSU freshman gymnast Sarie Morrison won the all-around title, beating 13th-ranked Jaime Pisani of Arkansas with a 39.350, but the Tigers fell 195.325-194.875 to the Razorbacks Friday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Morrison’s 39.350 is only a half-tenth off her career high, and the Dallas, Texas native tallied career highs on vault with a 9.90 and floor with a 9.85.
LSU (2-6, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) scored a 49.0 or higher on three events, but the Tigers were forced to count two falls on bars that led to a season-low 47.775 and put the team in an insurmountable hole.
No. 11 Arkansas (4-2, 3-1) failed to score a 49.0 on any event, but the Razorbacks showed consistency on each event with no score lower than a 48.725.
“We had a great week on bars in practice,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “We have to believe in what we are doing. The kids believe in the coaches, and we certainly believe in these kids. At no point tonight did we give up.”
No. 19 LSU led off strong with a 49.075 on vault, led by career-high 9.9’s by Ashley Lee and Morrison. Ericka Garcia opened the meet with a season-high 9.775, and freshman Sarah Zoldos followed with a 9.65. Kaleigh Dickson earned a 9.775, tying her season high, and the Tigers also counted a 9.725 from Maliah Mathis. Lee’s 9.9 in the fourth spot tied her career best that she scored twice last season, and Morrison anchored the event to cement the 49.075 for LSU.
The Tigers led 49.075-48.850 after one rotation, but LSU could not maintain the momentum as three Tigers fell on bars. Ericka Garcia posted a 9.725 in the leadoff spot, but Shelby Prunty missed the high bar on a release move and fell to finish with a 9.225. Zoldos followed with a career-high 9.775, but Dickson had to count a fall after her grip slipped and forced her to dismount. Engle’s routine was solid until her landing when she fell and scored a 9.25, but Morrison wrapped up bars with a 9.80 to finish second in the event.
LSU earned a season-best 49.025 on beam, and Mathis took home her first career beam title with a 9.85 while Morrison, Ericka Garcia and Engle tied for third with 9.8’s. Dickson scored a 9.775 to add to the Tigers’ season-high event score.
For the second-straight week LSU tallied a 49.0 or better on floor as the Tigers went 49 even against Arkansas. Mathis tied Arkansas’ Pisani for the floor title with a 9.90, and Morrison and Dickson both set a career high with 9.85’s. Prunty added a 9.725, and Janelle Garcia scored a 9.675.
“I think we are inching toward putting that full meet together,” Breaux said. “It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. We want to climb up in the rankings, and we have some great gymnasts on this team. We have some soft spots and little lacks of confidence throughout, but as a whole this thing is coming together. We are going to be a really good team in the end.”
Morrison and Mathis led everyone with two individual titles on the night, and Morrison now has a team-high seven titles this season while Mathis is second with six.
“It is such a great feeling and great accomplishment,” Morrison said of winning the all-around. “I’m so proud of my team because after we had a little mess up on bars we came back and hit really solid on beam and floor.”
LSU concludes its three-meet home stand with the Fourth Annual Etta James Memorial meet on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. against No. 4 Georgia. The gym team is looking to raise money for Foundation 56 to fight breast cancer in the Baton Rouge community.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Arkansas 195.325 (VT – 48.725, UB – 48.850, BB – 48.825, FX – 48.925)
2. LSU 194.875 (VT – 49.075, UB – 47.775, BB – 49.025, FX – 49.000)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Sarie Morrison 39.350; 4. Kaleigh Dickson 38.150
Vault – t1. Ashley Lee 9.90; t1. Sarie Morrison 9.90; t4. Ericka Garcia 9.775; t4. Kaleigh Dickson 9.775; 9. Maliah Mathis 9.725; t10. Sarah Zoldos 9.65
Bars – 1. Mariah Howdeshell 9.825; t2. Sarie Morrison 9.80; 5. Sarah Zoldos 9.775; 7. Ericka Garcia 9.725; 9. Samantha Engle 9.25; 10. Shelby Prunty 9.225; 11. Kaleigh Dickson 8.75
Beam – 1. Maliah Mathis 9.85; t3. Sarie Morrison 9.80; t3. Ericka Garcia 9.80; t3. Samantha Engle 9.80; t6. Kaleigh Dickson 9.775; 12. Shelby Prunty 9.625
Floor – t1. Maliah Mathis 9.90; t1. Jaime Pisani 9.90; t3. Sarie Morrison 9.85; t3. Kaleigh Dickson 9.85; t8. Shelby Prunty 9.725; t10. Janelle Garcia 9.675; 12. Ashley Lee 9.625