In what could be called an unpredictable night, LSU gymnastics narrowly lost to No. 8 Alabama by a .100 deficit in Huntsville, Alabama.
Ranked No. 4, the Tigers finished second with a score of 197.775 on Saturday night in the Von Braun Center. The score registers as LSU’s third-highest of the season, following its home meets against Florida and Missouri.
Kiya Johnson returned in full swing for only the second time this season since the back-to-back meets against Arkansas. The sophomore earned the fifth perfect score of her collegiate career. She came in second at 39.625 in the all-around to Alabama’s Luisa Blanco, who scored four straight 9.950s in all the events. Haleigh Bryant came in seventh for the All-around title with a 39.450, falling below her average all-around score.
The Tigers took home the highest vault and floor scores of the night at 49.625 and 49.500. The team finished second on bars and third on beam. Surprisingly, Alabama won the bars title at 49.425 while Florida, who averages 197.625 on bars, came in last. The Gators accumulated the highest score on beam to secure their sole event title of the night.
“I am very proud of this team as a whole,”  head coach Jay Clark said. “I am proud of what they did tonight. They never lost their focus or got distracted. We showed a lot of guts and fought until the very end. They stayed true to everything we wanted them to be. I am pleased with where they are in their growth. We know where we can improve and we will keep grinding and get better. Our big goals are still out there.”
LSU began the night on the uneven bars. Johnson and freshman Chase Brock started the event with a 9.875 and 9.825. Olivia Dunne followed with a 9.900, the freshman’s second-highest score of the season. Alyona Schennikova only managed a 9.850 despite getting the most height she’s ever gotten on her double layout. Sami Durante anchored the event with a 9.900.
Senior Christina Desiderio opened up the second rotation on beam, giving her weakest score this season. Durante delivered the same score as their last meet against Missouri, coming in at 9.875. Bryant collected by far her lowest score on beam this season. Senior Bridget Dean competed in her only event of the night to accumulate a 9.875. Johnson picked up the pace to score the highest beam score of the night for the Tigers at 9.900.
The Tigers’ beam anchor Reagan Campbell finally made her return just in time for the SEC Championships. The senior managed a 9.850 to end the event.
Desiderio once again led the Tigers on floor, executing one of her more impressive floor routines of the year, scoring her third 9.800 for the season. Sophomore Schennikova matched her career-high for the third time this season at 9.925. Sierra Ballard, performing on the floor every time since the Auburn meet, raked in her lowest score of the season. Unlike her consistent self, Sarah Edwards scored a 9.700 after struggling to keep her chest up and stick her last landing. Bryant followed with a 9.925, .25 below her last three performances. All-around Johnson wrapped up the floor event with her third perfect floor score of the season and her collegiate career.
Unlike their usual home meets, the Tigers finished with the vault rotation instead of starting with the event. Durante led with a 9.900, setting a new career-high for herself on vault. Schennikova followed with her second-highest vault score at 9.925. Freshman Elena Arenas garnered her highest vault score yet at 9.950 to secure the vault title of the night. Edwards accumulated a 9.900 to match her score from the last meet. Johnson gave a weaker score at 9.850 as Bryant anchored the event with a 9.950.
Florida, after having consistently high scores the entire year, struggled tonight without its leading performer, Trinity Thomas, in the All-around. The Gators scored their lowest score of the season but still managed to come in third.
Alabama earned its tenth overall SEC Championship Title, its first since 2015. The two SEC teams advancing to Regionals will be announced on March 22.