The No. 4 LSU gymnastics team fell to No. 5 Alabama on Friday night despite the Tigers posting their third perfect 10 of the season and highest team score since 2008.
“We got beat by an Alabama team that’s the mirror image of us,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “They beat us tonight because we didn’t stick our landings on beam. We had to count a low score on floor. We’re right there with them. Mirror image.”
Heading into the final rotation the Tigers were down .075 to the defending national champions and about to start the event where no one in the nation has been better.
But LSU saw its confidence dwindling early in the rotation when miscues cost the team nearly a half point.
“In the last event, No. 1 floor team in the country, we really thought we would be able to overtake it and win it.” Breaux said. “Our first three people gave away some tenths that we couldn’t make up in the end.”
The shining moment of the top-five matchup came when sophomore Lloimincia Hall became the only gymnast in the country to garner a perfect score for the second time this season.
Hall, who has been flirting with the milestone in recent weeks, had yet to be perfect on the PMAC carpet until Alabama.
Unfortunately for Hall and the Tigers, it was too little too late, but, according to the Texas native, between her teammates’ and the arena’s chants for perfection, it was a long time coming.
“That has happened for the last three home meets and the judges do not listen,” Hall said. “So for them to finally listen this week, I think that was more of an emotional experience because my teammates were pulling for me, the arena was pulling for me, I’m at home.”
The surprise of the meet came when Breaux pulled junior Kaleigh Dickson out of competition after a hard fall on bars apparently tweaked the gymnast’s knee.
Breaux cited mistakes in pre-meet warmups as another reason behind swapping Dickson out for freshman Randii Wyrick.
Breaux said she isn’t sure about if Dickson will compete in the team’s final regular season meet at North Carolina State this weekend, but does believe the team is deep enough to replace its No. 2 all around competitor if need be.
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Houston Texans football player Bradie James speaks to tiger fans March 8, 2013, during the sixth annual Etta James Memorial Meet at the PMAC. The meet raised more than $100,000 for James’ Foundation 56 to spread awareness and fight breast cancer in the Baton Rouge community.
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Fans applaud LSU senior all-around Ericka Garcia on March 8, 2013, during the team’s senior night at the PMAC.
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LSU sophomore all-around Lloimincia Hall celebrates with a teammate after her floor routine earned a perfect score March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU fans applaud sophomore all-around Lloimincia Hall after she scored a 10 for her floor routine March 8, 2013, during the Etta James Memorial Meet against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU sophomore all-around Lloimincia Hall dances during her floor routine March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU junior all-around Maliah Mathis steps out of bounds during her floor routine March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU senior all-around Britney Taylor finishes her floor routine March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU freshman all-around Randii Wyrick performs her floor routine March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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Tiger fans cheer for the gymnastics team March 8, 2013, during the sixth annual Etta James Memorial Meet at the PMAC.
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LSU senior all-around Ericka Garcia dances with teammates March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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Gymnastics head coach D-D Breaux cheers on her team March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU sophomore all-around Lloimincia Hall dances with teammates March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU freshman all-around Randii Wyrick flips on the balance beam March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU junior all-around Sarie Morrison flys off the uneven bars March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU junior all-around Kaleigh Dickson recovers from a fall and finishes her uneven bars routine March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU sophomore all-around Lloimincia Hall swings on the uneven bars March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU senior all-around Britney Taylor springs off the vault March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU junior all-around Kaleigh Dickson sticks her vault landing March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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LSU junior all-around Kaleigh Dickson runs toward the vault March 8, 2013, during the Tigers’ 197.500-197.725 loss against Alabama at the PMAC.
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