Despite posting a season-best road score of 196.800, the No. 5 LSU gymnastics team suffered its first Southeastern Conference loss on Saturday, coming up short against No. 11 Georgia’s season-high 197.525 in the Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia.

LSU (7-2, 4-1 SEC) was tested early when freshman Lexie Priessmann injured her foot during floor warm ups prior to the meet. She had put up valuable numbers on vault and bars, while also battling a shoulder injury.

“Lexie saw Georgia’s team doctor,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux in a press release. “We won’t be sure until we get home and Dr. Brent Bankston looks at it. Georgia’s doctor was optimistic, but he said ‘I would get an MRI on Monday.’”

LSU started off the meet on bars, where Priessmann’s average of 9.875 ranks No. 10 in the nation.

With freshman Julianna Cannamela filling the hole, the Tigers finished the event with a 49.200, led by freshman Sarah Finnegan’s 9.875, before heading to their best event, vault.

Having posted two perfect 10’s on vault this season, junior Ashleigh Gnat continued her streak of higher than 9.900 scores with a 9.95 to secure the vault title and her No. 1 spot in the nation on the event.

Junior Sidney Ewing’s 9.875 marked the Tigers’ second best vault-score, while notching fifth overall on the event.

“These kids gave us 100 percent; they gave us all they had,” Breaux said. “We have a home meet next week against a good Auburn team, so it will be a good week in the gym in preparation for a great competition next Friday.”

Gnat continued her strong performance, anchoring floor with a 9.925 and clinching her second individual event title.

Besides Gnat, the rest of the Tigers tallied floor routines all ranged within the 9.800’s to finish the event with a 49.275.

LSU’s last rotation, beam, marked the meet’s lowest score. While sophomore Erin Macadaeg won the event title with a 9.925 and sophomore Myia Hambrick added a 9.900 to her 39.450-performance in the all-around, the beam routines by Ewing, Finnegan and Cannamela drew LSU’s score to a 49.050.

Judges called a deduction after Finnegan was unable to complete her triple wolf turn to post a 9.675, while small wobbles in Cannamela’s routine resulted in a 9.750.

In the all-around, Hambrick’s 39.450 ranked third behind Bulldogs’ seniors Brandie Jay’s 39.675 and Brittany Rogers 39.625.
You can reach Markus Hufner on Twitter @Hufner_TDR