LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the first road meet and Southeastern Conference action of the season, the second-ranked LSU gymnastics team captured wins over Kentucky and No. 20 Arizona State with a 196.600 score Friday night in Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum.
LSU (3-0) outscored the Wildcats by a full point 196.600-195.600, and the Sun Devils placed third with a 194.400.
For the second-straight week senior Jessie Jordan won the all-around title with a 39.525. She also tied for the vault title with a 9.85 and tied for the beam title with a 9.90.
Five Tigers tied for the vault title with 9.85s, including freshman Myia Hambrick who earned the first individual title of her career. Rheagan Courville, Lloimincia Hall and Ashleigh Gnat joined Hambrick and Jordan as vault title winners.
Courville captured the bars title for the second consecutive week with a 9.90, and Hall won the 26th floor title of her career with a 9.95. Hall is one title away from tying Ashleigh Clare-Kearney and April Burkholder for most floor titles in LSU history.
“I’m happy with wins, and I’m proud of the fight in our ladies tonight,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “It was the second meet of the season, and we will get better. Our process is good, so we will stay in the process and continue to improve.”
LSU opened the tri-meet on bars, and the Tigers posted a 49.075 in the first rotation. Courville earned the high score with a 9.90 in the anchor spot. Jordan tallied a 9.85, while Jessica Savona added a 9.80, Randii Wyrick scored a 9.775 and Shae Zamardi received a 9.75 to round out the scoring.
LSU led after the first rotation 49.075 to Kentucky’s 48.950 on vault and Arizona State’s 48.700 on beam.
The Tigers scored a 48.975 in the second rotation on beam. Jordan led the way with a 9.90 in the anchor spot, and freshman Erin Macadaeg posted a solid 9.85 in the fourth spot. LSU also counted a 9.775 from Courville and 9.725s from Hambrick and Scarlett Williams. It marked Williams’ first performance as a Tiger.
LSU trailed Kentucky by a slight margin after two events. The Wildcats had a two-rotation total of 98.100 to LSU’s 98.050 and Arizona State’s 97.000.
LSU responded in the third rotation with a solid 49.300 on floor to re-take the lead. Hall delivered a fantastic routine to score a 9.95 in the final spot of the lineup. For the second-straight week Jordan tied her career high with a 9.925. Gnat added a 9.875, Savona scored a 9.85 and Courville registered a 9.70 to round out the event scoring.
Through three rotations LSU regained the lead from Kentucky with a 147.350 to the Wildcats’ 146.925 and Arizona State’s 145.525.
LSU finished the meet with a 49.250 on vault after Courville, Gnat, Hall, Hambrick and Jordan all scored a 9.85 in the event.
The Tigers will head home to compete against Missouri on Jan. 23. The meet will begin at 7:30 p.m. CT inside the Maravich Center.
“I’m looking forward to next week at home because this team will get better and put together a great performance,” Breaux said. “The gymnasts love competing at home, so we can’t wait to be in front of our amazing fans next week.”
Reserved seating for LSU’s four remaining home meets is available. Visit www.LSUtix.net to purchase reserved seating. Once purchased, a fan may secure those seats for 2016 season tickets. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth ages 3-12.
Visit www.LSUsports.net/gymnastics for all the latest information on the Tigers, and follow LSU on the team’s social media accounts: www.Facebook.com/lsugym, @LSUgym on Twitter, @LSU_gym on Instagram, www.YouTube.com/lsugymnastics and LSUgym on Snapchat.
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. #2 LSU 196.600 (VT – 49.250, UB – 49.075, BB – 48.975, FX – 49.300)
2. Kentucky 195.600 (VT – 48.950, UB – 49.150, BB – 48.825, FX – 48.675)
3. #20 Arizona State 194.400 (VT – 48.525, UB – 48.875, BB – 48.175, FX – 48.825)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1. Jessie Jordan 39.525, 2. Rheagan Courville 39.225
Vault – t1. Rheagan Courville 9.85, t1. Ashleigh Gnat 9.85, t1. Lloimincia Hall 9.85, t1. Myia Hambrick 9.85, t1. Jessie Jordan 9.85, t1. Sydney Waltz (Kentucky) 9.85, t1. Tasha Sundby (Arizona State) 9.85, t1. Taylor Allex (Arizona State) 9.85, 14. Erin Macadaeg 9.65
Bars – 1. Rheagan Courville 9.90, t3. Jessie Jordan 9.85, t8. Jessica Savona 9.80, t11. Randii Wyrick 9.775, t14. Shae Zamardi 9.75, 16. Ashleigh Gnat 9.70
Beam – t1. Jessie Jordan 9.90, t1. Shannon Mitchell (Kentucky) 9.90, 3. Erin Macadaeg 9.85, 6. Rheagan Courville 9.775, t8. Myia Hambrick 9.725, t8. Scarlett Williams 9.725, 16. Sydney Ewing 9.15
Floor – 1. Lloimincia Hall 9.95, 2. Jessie Jordan 9.925, 3. Ashleigh Gnat 9.875, 4. Jessica Savona 9.85, 13. Rheagan Courville 9.70, 16. Sydney Ewing 9.475