After two Southeastern Conference losses, LSU gymnastics defeated Alabama 197.450-196.850 on the road for its first SEC win. 
This is LSU’s ninth straight win over the Crimson Tide. 
“They got a little bit of a push,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux on the SEC Network broadcast. “Those things happen. This is not the team we had last year and we’re trying to get the sophomore up and going and I think we did that tonight. We had some little giddyups, but they competed and they fought like crazy.”
Senior Sarah Finnegan and junior Kennedi Edney tied for the all-around event title at 39.625. It is Finnegan’s fourth all-around win in four meets and Edney’s best all-around score of the season. 
“We’ve been waiting for Kennedi Edney to come into her own,” Breaux said. “She’s had great training and preparation and her mind has been so right, but she hasn’t put four great events together. We’re looking forward to greater things from her.”
Alabama sophomore Wynter Childers was the only other all-around contestant at 39.350.
The Tigers came out fast and strong and never let up, and the Crimson Tide’s best efforts were not enough. LSU swept every event in the win. 
LSU started the meet with a 49.325, led by Edney with a 9.90 on the event. Five out of six gymnasts in the rotation stuck their dismounts. 
The Tigers continued into their best vault score of the season at 49.400. Four gymnasts stuck their vaults. 
“We need [those stuck vaults],” Breaux said. “That’s going to come.”
Senior all-arounder Julianna Cannamela returned to the lineup after Lexie Priessman was taken out for precautionary purposed. Cannamela put up a 9.875. Edney led all gymnasts at 9.925, while junior Ruby Harrold scored a season-high 9.90. 
Freshman Bailey Ferrer anchored on her first career vault at LSU. She took a little step and put up a 9.825. 
“We took Lexie [Priessman] out of vaulting and put Bailey Ferrer in,” Breaux said. “We really got to exercise some depth.” 
LSU lead 98.725-98.400 at the halfway point of the meet. 
Alabama gave its biggest push on the third rotation, while the Crimson Tide was on beam and LSU was on floor. Despite every Alabama gymnast scoring 9.825 or higher on beam, LSU put up a 49.325 to maintain a lead. 
Finnegan lead all gymnasts on floor with a 9.95. 
LSU held a 148.050-147.650 lead over Alabama going into the final rotation.
Sophomores Christina Desiderio, Bridget Dean and Sami Durante hit three beam routines in a row to put LSU in a good position to win the meet. 
Edney hit a 9.925 and sophomore Reagan Campbell needed a 9.80 to clinch the meet for the Tigers. She got a 9.875 and LSU won before Finnegan even had a chance to perform. 
Finnegan, Edney and Childers tied for the beam event title at 9.925. 
Despite a solid meet at Alabama, Breaux still has a lot she wants her team to improve upon.
“We’ve got to remove the clutter,” Breaux said. “We’ve got to get in there and do routines that are not going to have breaks in them. I love our rhythm on beam, we’re going a great job of pushing and not having the stops and hesitations. We’re not landing high enough on floor. I need to see us do better on floor. On bars, we were just a little bit tight tonight, but they swung well and stuck a lot of landings. We’re going in the gym and doing the same thing.”
LSU returns to the PMAC next Friday, Feb. 1 to face NC State.