The No. 3 LSU gymnastics team set a program record and tied the highest team score in the nation this season with a 198.325 to earn a berth in the NCAA semifinals and a first-place finish at Saturday’s regional meet in the PMAC.
The Tigers (20-5, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) set school records with the highest score in a regional meet on all four events. LSU shattered its previous high score of 198.050 set against Missouri on Feb. 28.
No. 10 Stanford finished second with a 197.275, Iowa State placed third with a 196.350, Kent State came in fourth with a 195.125, No. 13 Auburn placed fifth with a 195.050 and Arizona came in last with a 194.825.
After a bye during the first rotation, the Tigers started with a bang on bars. Senior all-arounder Kaleigh Dickson and sophomore all-arounder Randii Wyrick led off with a pair of 9.900’s to propel LSU to a 49.425 team score.
LSU erased its beam struggles from the SEC championships two weeks ago by scoring a season-high 49.600 on the event in the third rotation. Junior all-arounder Rheagan Courville won the beam title with a 9.975, and freshman all-around Ashleigh Gnat tied her career-high with a 9.950 routine.
Junior all-arounder Jessie Jordan kicked off the Tigers’ floor lineup with a career-high tying 9.925 during the fifth rotation. The rest of the lineup followed suit, notching a 49.650 team score capped by junior all-arounder Lloimincia Hall’s perfect 10.
LSU moved to vault for the final rotation. Dickson led off but stopped a few feet down the mat with an apparent ankle injury. The judges gave her a 0.000 because it was too late to substitute another gymnast, but that didn’t matter.
The Tigers notched their highest vault score of the season with a 49.650. Courville, Gnat and senior all-arounder Sarie Morrison each earned a 9.950 to win the vault title as LSU closed the meet in dominant fashion.
Courville won the beam title as well as the all-around crown with a 39.725. Jordan’s 39.600 was good for second place in the all-around competition.
LSU and Stanford will compete in the NCAA semifinals on April 18 in Birmingham, Ala.
Tigers place first in Regional, break school record
By Marcus Rodrigue
April 5, 2014
More to Discover