With four regular season meets left in her career, LSU gymnastics senior Kelly Phelan said she will cherish her final appearances as a Tiger.
“I was sitting in my class with Nicki [Butler] in the PMAC, and we were saying that we only have two more meets here ever in our life,” Phelan said. “It’s pretty scary, but we just have to try to stay motivated, because every meet is equally as important.”
Phelan will attempt to make one of her last regular season meets a successful one tonight when the No. 8 Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 University of Alabama at 7 p.m.
The Tigers are coming off their best performance of the season Friday against No. 1 University of Florida, posting a season high score in a 197.200-197.050 loss.
Phelan led LSU with a 39.375 all-around score, marking the sixth time she scored over 39.000 all-around.
LSU assistant coach Philip Ogletree said the team finally performed the way they are capable against Florida.
“I think last week was the first week that we really saw a difference in their ability to compete,” he said. “They were more confident in practice, and it’s been getting better all along, but last week for the Florida meet, it got to the point where we rounded into form.”
Phelan said she is encouraged because LSU has room to improve, even after scoring above 197.000.
“There are still little things that could have been better,” she said. “It’s exciting to finally get over a 49 on beam and bars, and I think it is what we needed to give us momentum going into Bama.”
Alabama comes into the meet following a 196.650-194.800 victory against the University of North Carolina.
Junior Terin Humphrey tied her career high with a 39.575 on all-around to lead the Crimson Tide. Freshman Ricki Lebegern scored 39.350 for the third consecutive meet.
Alabama coach Sarah Patterson said the Crimson Tide have some minor adjustments to make before the team faces LSU.
“There are some things we need to work on and tweak a little more,” Patterson said. “We are trying to put ourselves in position where we have an opportunity to contend.”
The meet marks the sixth straight time the Tigers compete against a ranked opponent.
LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux said the Tigers look forward to the opportunity to build on what the team accomplished Friday.
“Alabama is a huge rival for us, so I don’t think the kids will have any problem getting up for the meet,” she said. “But the level of intensity and competing at that same level is what we need to do and is our goal as coaches and as a team.”
—–Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]