BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The LSU gymnastics squad earned a third-place finish in Semifinal 1 of the NCAA Championships on Friday and advanced to the NCAA Super Six Finals for the second consecutive season.
The Tigers scored a 197.100 to finish behind Semifinal 1 winner Oklahoma and runner-up Georgia. Oklahoma and Georgia posted scores of 197.500 and 197.300, respectively.
All three squads advanced to the Super Six Finals, which will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. in the BJCC Arena. The top three finishers from Semifinal 2, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night, will also advance to the Super Six for a shot at the national title.
“We’re excited to be advancing to Super Six, and I think it’s going to be a great Super Six,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “We have so much parody, and the teams are so even.”
After sitting through a bye in the first rotation of Friday’s opening semifinal session, the Tigers took to the floor exercise and tallied a 49.350 to start their afternoon.
Sophomore Jessica Savona led the way on floor for LSU, posting a season-high tying 9.925 for the second consecutive week. Freshman Ashleigh Gnat delivered a 9.900 for the Tigers, and juniors Rheagan Courville and Lloimincia Hall added 9.850s.
Stanford was leading fter the second rotation, but juggernauts LSU, Oklahoma and Georgia each had sat through one rotation at that point. The squads formed a three-way tie, each scoring a 49.350.
The Tigers then took to vault, where the squad has been ranked No. 1 for much of the season. LSU posted its second consecutive 49.350 of the meet, highlighted by 9.900s from Courville and Gnat. Juniors Jessie Jordan and Britney Ranzy and senior Sarie Morrison each added a 9.850 apiece.
But Oklahoma tallied a 49.575 on floor to take the lead halfway through, and LSU’s 98.700 gave them a slim second-place lead over Georgia, which had a 98.650 heading to the second half of the competition.
After sitting through a second bye during the fourth rotation, the Tigers went to the uneven bars. Senior all-arounder Kaleigh Dickson, who suffered a foot injury in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional on April 5, led off LSU with a solid 9.850. Morrison gave the Tigers another 9.850 in her anchor spot, but Courville led the Tigers with her second 9.900 of the meet.
LSU finished with a 49.225 on bars and had a score of 147.925 heading to the balance beam for the final rotation of the afternoon.
The Tigers scored a 49.175 on beam, and freshman Sydney Ewing led the squad with a career-high tying 9.900. Courville added a 9.875, and three Tiger gymnasts contributed 9.800s.
But Georgia posted a 49.450 on floor to steal the second-place finish from LSU. 
Individually, Courville finished second in the all-around with a score of 39.525, and Jordan tied for fourth with a 39.225.  
LSU, Oklahoma and Georgia will now wait for the results from Semifinal 2 to determine who they’ll compete against in Saturday’s championship meet. 
The top three finishers between No. 1 Florida, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Utah, No. 8 UCLA, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 15 Penn State will advance to the Super Six.