BATON ROUGE – The LSU gymnastics team will compete in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for the final time in 2011 when the Tigers take on New Hampshire at 7 p.m. CT Friday on Senior Night.
LSU will honor two seniors prior to the meet, Samantha Engle and manager Paige Cipolloni, and a special presentation honoring three-time national champion Susan Jackson will be held before the meet as well.
It is Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez Night and Autograph Night, so fans are encouraged to come out and celebrate Mardi Gras with the Tigers and participate in an autograph session with Jackson and the gymnastics team after the meet.
Tickets are still available at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office in the first floor of the Athletic Administration Building on campus, or tickets can be purchased online at www.LSUtix.net or by calling 225-578-2184. Tickets are only $5 for adults and $3 for youth ages 3-12.
After a disappointing performance at Kentucky on Feb. 25, the 24th-ranked Tigers will compete to earn a solid score against New Hampshire and get back on track.
“We let up in our intensity and our instruction that we have to get a little bit better each week last week. We went to Kentucky and got worse,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “We have had some real gut checking in practice this week, and the kids have had to make commitments to do good, big time gymnastics. We’ll see what hits the floor against New Hampshire, and I’m looking forward to a good competition.”
LSU (2-8, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) hit a 196.350 in the last home meet against Georgia on Feb. 18, and the Tigers will try to duplicate that effort against New Hampshire.
For the Tigers to get the team score they want, all-arounders Sarie Morrison, Kaleigh Dickson and Ericka Garcia must lead the way. LSU will also count on solid scores from Maliah Mathis, Shelby Prunty, Ashley Lee, Sarah Zoldos and Engle.
New Hampshire (9-5) ranks just outside the top 25, and the Wildcats are coming off a 194.375 at Bridgeport on Feb. 25 where senior co-captain Chelsea Steinberg posted a season-high 39.300 all-around.
LSU is undefeated against New Hampshire all time at 9-0, and the teams last met a season ago in the 2010 NCAA Northeast Regional at Penn State where the Tigers scored a 196.400 to finish second while the Wildcats placed fourth with a 194.800.
After the meet LSU will wrap up the dual meet schedule in Tuscaloosa, Ala., when the Tigers face third-ranked Alabama at 7:30 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum on March 11.