While most students were enjoying a stress-free Mardi Gras this past week, LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux said her No. 9 gymnastics team was hard at work to correct the inconsistencies that have plagued the team all season. Mission accomplished – sort of. Thanks to season-high scores on both the uneven bars and beam, LSU posted its best score since the 2005 NCAA Northwest Regional Championship, but the Tigers were still defeated by No. 1 University of Florida, 197.200-197.050. “I think [the score] is exciting,” senior Nicki Butler said. “But at the same time, it is sort of a sigh of relief, because we know that’s what we’re capable of doing every meet, so for it to finally happen, we know we’re doing something right in the gym.” LSU’s No. 2-ranked vault team took a 49.350-49.275 lead against the Gators’ No. 1-ranked uneven bars team in the first turn. Junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won her fourth consecutive vault title with a score of 9.950. Florida freshman Amanda Castillo placed second behind Clare-Kearney on vault with a 9.900. Clare-Kearney said the Tigers have a chance to be a much improved team as the year progresses. “This didn’t show what we’re capable of,” she said. “This is not our maximum potential at all.” The Gators took a 98.575-98.475 lead after the second turn thanks to a 49.300 vault score. LSU posted a season-high score of 49.125 on bars thanks to a pair of 9.875s by freshmen Susan Jackson and Summer Hubbard. Jackson was performing for the first time since injuring herself at the Super Six Challenge on Jan. 5. “[Jackson] twisted her ankle the Sunday night of the first meet of the season,” Breaux said. “But she competed tonight like an elite-level gymnast, and we have not seen that up until tonight.” Jackson was also solid in the third turn with a 9.900, helping LSU get a season-high 49.275 beam score. Three Gators scored 9.900 on floor, allowing the Gators to extend their lead to 147.925-147.750 going into the last turn. Florida senior Katie Rue started the fourth turn poorly for the Gators, falling twice on beam, but the five remaining Gators scored above 9.800 to enable Florida to keep its lead. Castillo sealed the victory for the Gators with a 9.925 on beam, winning the event and also the meet’s All-Around with a score of 39.400. “I felt a little pressure because our first person up is usually the most consistent. So we knew that since Katie didn’t hit, we all needed to perform well,” Castillo said. “It was a little nerve wracking. I just took it one skill at a time. There is nothing else really you can do. Just do what you do in the gym and take it one skill at a time.” Seniors Kelly Phelan and Butler finished second and third in the All-Around with scores of 39.375 and 39.350, respectively, for the Tigers. With the high score, LSU is expected to move up a few spots in next week’s rankings. Phelan said the team is coming together at the right time. “I thought it was a great meet,” she said. “It was decided by a tenth and a half, so it boosts us up a little bit going into the SECs.” LSU was also scheduled to compete Sunday at the Masters Classic in Lincoln, Neb., but the team was unable to travel because of weather conditions.
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