A Friday night filled with booze, beads, parades and partying could have distracted some, but the No. 6 LSU gymnastics team, decked in Mardi Gras colored leotards, had other plans for the evening.
Its plan: to beat No. 8 Arkansas.
In a 197.425-196.150 throttling, LSU (7-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) gained a new season-high team score while maintaining its undefeated SEC record against the battle-tested Razorbacks.
But nothing involving ease came from vault for either team. LSU rattled off a solid set with a team score of 49.300 while not gaining a single score higher than a 9.900 for the first time this season. Arkansas (3-4, 2-1 SEC) too, couldn’t buy an above-average score — not even during the joyfully playful Mardi Gras season.
Like a kid catching an artificial snake or football in a parade, LSU rallied an opening lead of 49.300 to 49.025 on vault, and never let it go — but, junior all-arounder Ashleigh Gnat’s two-meet streak of perfect scores on the event ended.
“I wasn’t really feeling any extra pressure,” Gnat said. “I was just going to go out there and do the same thing I’ve been doing in practice and that’s exactly what happened. It really can’t be a 10 every time. It’s just not fair.”
But, the Tigers’ performance on bars almost made them throw back their metaphorical snake.
Other than sophomore all-arounder Myia Hambrick’s career-high 9.925, the Tigers’ decent bars set was offset with a fall from Arkansas. Sarah Finnegan, for the second-straight week, suffered a fall, too. Last weekend, it was on beam — where she nearly broke her toe during the Metroplex Challenge. On Friday, she couldn’t maintain a release and fell off of bars.
After all, this season is the first time Finnegan has competed weekend after weekend in her life, Breaux said.
“The tough thing to do for these kids that have never competed week-in and week-out, is to go back out there,” Breaux said. “Sarah Finnegan has never done this in her life. It shows. That stuff is going to mature and get better as the season progresses.”
Is LSU progressing? Definitely.
LSU transformed into a beast unseen since last season.
On beam, the Tigers counted a team score of 49.450 — their highest score since their 49.475 beam score against Minnesota on March 6, 2015.
“That kind of beam performance, that’s a championship performance,” Breaux said.
In its crowning event, LSU waltzed to victory on the backs of senior utility gymnast Michelle Gauthier and Hambrick scoring career-highs at 9.875 and 9.925, respectively — and a tied career-high from Finnegan, 9.925.
Friday’s beam was Gauthier’s best performance as a Tiger, along with 11 other record-breaking scores throughout the meet.
Friday was the LSU gymnastics team’s Mardi Gras party.
“When I landed, the whole team was literally running at me with their arms wide open,” Gauthier said. “I looked at Sydney and she was the first one to give me a hug and I was like ‘Sydney your next! You have to go, you’re next!’”
Breaux agreed, Gauthier’s routine set up the Tigers’ victory and their season-high beam score.
“She didn’t show any kinks in her armor,” Breaux said. “She was determined to be in charge and dominate that routine and she did. And you know it supports the lineup, that third spot is so important. You get two good hits in front of you, that third, you’re setting up the end of the lineup. She did a great job tonight.”
But Arkansas threw together quite a beam set, too. The Razorbacks counted five scores of 9.850, or better, against stiff judging.
Throughout the night, flurried with complaints from fans, coaches and gymnasts, the scoring was scrutinized. Breaux said the judges pushed both teams to have “great routines.”
“The judges did a great job distinguishing routines that were good and routines that were truly great,” Breaux said. “When they were the high 9.9 type of scores, we knew where the deductions were and we can go back into the gym on Monday and move forward from here.”
Other than freshman all-arounder McKenna Kelley landing nearly five feet out-of-bounds after her first tumbling pass, LSU began to settle in its third SEC victory on floor with an event score of 49.400.
After sealing her new career high in the all-around on floor with a 9.900, Hambrick and Breaux, couldn’t help but celebrate as LSU defending its home in victory, as it has since March 8, 2013 — the last time the Tigers lost inside the PMAC.
But, finally, LSU compiled a refreshing victory, Breaux said.
“It was complete,” Breaux said. “There was never a sense of urgency. There was never a ‘we’ve got to press. We’ve got to go, we’ve got to get this going. We’ve got to find our mojo.’ That never happened tonight. This is our house, and they stepped out and protected it.”