BATON ROUGE- For the LSU gymnastics team, there’s truly no place like home.
After a sub-par performance in Gainesville, Fla., last weekend, LSU (12-3 overall, 3-2 SEC)broke out in their final tune-up before the conference meet, recording season highs in all four events to blow out Auburn 196.950-194.375 before 1,612 fans at the Maravich Assembly Center Friday evening on senior night.
On a night in which LSU’s highly successful senior class was acknowledged in a pre-meet ceremony, the Tigers’ score matched the second highest in school history behind a superb 39.500 effort from senior Abbey Burns to win
the all-around. The Tigers went over 49 on each discipline for the second time this season.
“Tonight was everything we needed it to be,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “This will give us momentum heading into the SEC meet. From this point on it’s all about consistency. If we can go 49 across the board on
all four events each week, we can compete with anyone.”
Kerry Descalopoulis and Marina Degteva got the Tigers off on the right foot, sharing the title on the vault with identical 9.85s, as the Tigers blasted out a season-best 49.025, only their second score over 49 on the
apparatus this season.
As the teams moved to the second rotation, the Tigers moved to the bars and came up with a 49.225 behind 9.90s from Degteva and Burns. Beth Boudreaux registered a solid 9.850, while Stephanie Hyett came up with a 9.825.
It was on the beam, however, that the Tigers began to step it up another level. Three Tigers scored 9.90s, as Kim Descalopoulis, Burns and Stacey Wegener tied for the title in the event. No Tiger scored less than a 9.825.
The Tigers flirted with only the second 197-score in school history entering the final rotation, but came up just .50 short after a season-high 49.325 on the floor. Burns and Wegener tied for the individual title with
identical 9.90s to pace the Tigers. Shanyn MacEachern and Nicki Arnstad came up with 9.85s for the Tigers.
The score by the Tigers matched their 196.950 registered in a victory over Florida at the Assembly Center last year. The Tigers’ previous season-high was a 196.800 against Centenary on Feb. 18.
LSU now turns its attention to the Southeastern Conference Championships in Gainesville on March 18.